A close Western Conference Finals game between the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves with a one-point victory in the final seconds is no surprise, but the Mavericks beating Minnesota 2-0 is another story.
Dallas was down 12 points at halftime, but Luka Doncic silenced the home crowd with a stunning step-back 3-pointer over center Rudy Gobert with three seconds left to play, winning Game 2 109-108. The Timberwolves had their final possession, but Naz Reid missed a 26-foot shot and the Mavericks returned to Dallas with a commanding series lead.
“I'm not fast, but I can move faster than him,” Doncic said of the shot over Gobert's head in a postgame interview on TNT.
Doncic hit a game-winning 3-pointer to crown the defending Defensive Player of the Year and finished with game-highs of 32 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists for his eighth career playoff triple-double.
The Mavericks trailed by as many as 16 points in the third quarter, but Doncic's playmaking and key shooting from guard Kyrie Irving, who made 4 of 7 3-pointers, helped steadily chip away at Minnesota's lead.
Reed led the Timberwolves with 23 points as Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns struggled again, combining to make just 9 of 33 shots.
Dallas returns home with a chance to close out the series and reach the NBA Finals despite losing the first two games to Minnesota by just four points. The Timberwolves' comeback attempt will begin with Game 3 on Sunday.
NBA insider breaks down Doncic's clutch shot, the Timberwolves' chances of getting back in the series and the biggest takeaways from a memorable Game 2.
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Luca: I have the most confidence in the world.
Luka Doncic shares his immediate reaction to the Mavs' Game 2 winning 3-pointer.
1. Luka's three-point step-back win over Gobert was a ______.
Ramona Shelburne: It's a shot that will become the stuff of legend for both him and Gobert. As well as being an incredible clutch shot by Doncic, it was also ammunition for Gobert's critics (Green, Draymond, etc.), who point out that the Defensive Player of the Year could be at a disadvantage when substituting with a perimeter player. Of course, one could also question the defensive strategy of substituting everything when Gobert is on the court. Instead, the Timberwolves watched as Doncic out-skated Gobert and won the game.
Andrew Lopez: It was impressive, but expected. When you watch Doncic in tight situations, you start to expect him to make those tough shots, no matter the situation or who's in front of him. It's crazy to think how he performs in pressure situations, even though he only turned 25 in February. As soon as he flipped the switch, I felt like the shot was going to go in, even though he missed two shots in the fourth quarter.
Brian Windhorst: Here's what Doncic said on the court after winning the game: “You can't guard me.” In that moment, the slow-footed Gobert faced off against Doncic's skilled footwork, or, as TNT's Shaquille O'Neal put it, “barbecue chicken.”
2. What was your biggest takeaway from Game 2?
Shelburne: The Mavericks weren't perfect in this game, but for the second straight game, they were far more clinical than the Timberwolves in key moments. Minnesota should probably play the video of the crucial turnovers late in the game. People will point to poor shooting performances from Timberwolves stars Edwards and Towns, but Reid and Mike Conley did enough to win the game if Minnesota hadn't made so many self-destructive mistakes.
Lopez: Doncic seemed to struggle to get going until the second half of the fourth quarter due to various injuries, but Irving was the reason the Mavericks were able to get through it. Despite scoring the winning point, Doncic was clearly not at his best due to a sore left ankle and a sprained right knee. But while Doncic was resting, Irving stepped up. After scoring just seven points in the first three quarters, Irving scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, including four three-pointers that cut the Wolves' lead to two with 1 minute and 5 seconds left.
Windhorst: Edwards is in a tough spot at the worst possible time. His unforced turnover with 12.8 seconds left was a crucial mistake. But he's really in a slump, shooting just 30-of-90 from the field in his past five games. Unlike Game 1, where he relied on 3-pointers, he pushed to the basket and was aggressive on Friday. But Edwards, one of the league's best finishers, shooting 70 percent from the restricted area during the regular season, was ineffective against Dallas' larger opponents.
3. The Wolves are down 0-2 for the first time in the upcoming playoffs because ____.
Shelburne: This is what it looks like when a young team experiences growing pains in real time. These two games were disappointing for the Timberwolves, but I'm not going to give up on them. They beat the defending champion Denver Nuggets in Games 6 and 7 after losing three straight in the last round. Edwards has struggled in this series. I think the demands of guarding Irving, along with the energy Minnesota is asking of him on offense, are wearing him down. He needed oxygen in the fourth quarter of Game 2, but I've seen enough of Edwards this season to know he never loses confidence or energy when the team needs him.
Lopez: It's heartbreaking. Reid made seven 3-pointers to lead Minnesota in the second half and look to save the game, but missed his eighth 3-pointer as time expired. Towns and Edwards combined to make 9 of 33 shots in one-possession games at home after making 12 of 36 shots in one-possession games in Game 1 at home. Neither game was decided. Minnesota has bounced back from the brink before, but to do it again, both players will need to take big steps in Games 3 and 4 in Dallas.
Windhorst: Regret. That was the feeling the Timberwolves had in the locker room after the game. The turnovers. Gobert not getting the final stop. Coach Chris Finch not using his two remaining timeouts. Towns not playing a better game. Losing two games by one possession was just too frustrating.
