MINNEAPOLIS — The Dallas Mavericks are off to a strong start with a 106-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The team knows it has an opportunity on Friday. A 2-0 chance in the back-to-back series back at home could put them in a favorable position to reach the NBA Finals.
“We're just going to be honest with each other and that's the energy we're going to bring to the game,” Kyrie Irving said during shooting practice on Friday. “And we want to be mindful that we're playing a great team and we want to be respectful of the other team. I think that's the most important thing, is to respect the other team and do what we need to do to play the game. So, we're going to be prepared, we're going to be well rested, we're going to have the strategy for tonight really nailed in our heads and we're going to be prepared for a war-like, very loud, very physical environment.”
Irving tends to look for early opportunities before launching an attack, but he scored 24 of his 30 points in the first half alone, his most points before halftime this season. He's going to stay in the flow and take his chances. Luka Doncic was aggressive down the stretch, scoring 15 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter.
“The first half was great. I felt like we just picked up the pace of the game a little bit and got ourselves off the floor,” Irving said. “I understand they were coming off a Game 7 and might have been a little tired, but we just wanted to continue to play aggressively and make sure we took advantage of the easy opportunities.”
“In the second half, you could say Luka joined the party and my teammates joined the party,” Irving explained, “and when we play well like this, it helps a lot in terms of composure and comfort in the game. We know they're a good team, but we need to stay aggressive and make them feel us.”
The Timberwolves have used the ball pressure of Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards to confuse many of their offenses, something the Mavericks were well-positioned to counter in Game 1. Irving talked about how the contrast between him and Doncic on offense will be difficult for Minnesota.
“I think our ability to attack the basket from three-quarters court and speed up the court allows us to keep their big men away from the basket,” Irving said. “In other series, they've had very aggressive guards, but Luka and I have a different way of attacking each other and playing. We do a good job of creating opportunities not only for ourselves but for our teammates as well. If we play the right basketball, it's a great game to watch and be a part of.”
Every game the Mavericks play from now on will come with pressure and high stakes, and Irving stressed the importance of remaining calm while navigating the media attention and distractions. He feels his extensive experience in playing in the Finals and conference finals will help him get through it.
“I take the game of basketball very seriously and I understand there's an environment of being in the Western Conference finals and there's increased media attention and added responsibility to be prepared for,” Irving said, “but now is the time to block out a lot of those distractions and extraneous thoughts and just go in my room and really focus on what I want to accomplish.”
“It's that time of year again. With four teams left, the families and the media have to understand and that's what we've seen,” Irving explained. “I'm going to use my experience playing at the highest level — a finals game, a conference finals game — as a litmus test, a stress test to try to work with J. Kidd and the rest of the coaching staff to better coach our players and be an extension of them, but I also understand that I'm still a student of the game and a growing team.”
One example of a potential distraction is the excessive focus on Irving's reaction to Edwards saying he was ready to face him before the series, which Irving turned into a positive, expressing respect for Edwards' “fearless spirit” and looking forward to continuing to face him in the series.
“When I say it's extra motivation, it's not out of any personal grudge against Ant, it's just that we've grown in the league,” Irving said. “I'm in my 13th year and he's had great success in his first couple of years and I know a lot of young guys who come into the league and take it under a lot of pressure.
“I've had an incredible opportunity to win in my first five years and achieve something not many people achieve,” Irving explained. “I know what it takes and it takes a fearless mentality and Ant has that. It makes me better and I'm grateful that he's able to push me at this age and that I can push and inspire him.”
read more: Timberwolves hold 'tough' film session, Mavericks not happy after Game 1
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