Edwards' return to form has become the key to winning in G4, and Lively has become the most missed person by the Mavericks

Basketball in L.A

2024-05-29 16:40Posted in Jilin Sports Creators

Edwards' return to form has become the key to winning in G4, and Lively has become the most missed person by the Mavericks

原文编译自：The Athletic

作者：Tim Cato, Zach Harper and Hunter Patterson

原标题：How Anthony Edwards led Timberwolves to Game 4 win over Mavericks to extend series

Led by Anthony Edwards and Karl Anthony Towns, the Minnesota Timberwolves saved their season with a 105-100 win over Dallas vs. Mavericks in G4.

Edwards almost had a triple-double and led the Timberwolves to victory with a game-high 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. Downs scored more than 20 points for the first time in the series, contributing 25 points and five rebounds before leaving the game with six fouls late in the fourth quarter.

Luka Doncic claimed his sixth triple-double of the playoffs this season in that loss, finishing with 28 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. Kyrie Irving's record in key point games has now improved to 14-1, and he finished with just 16 points and four assists on 6-of-18 shooting.

The Timberwolves finally retained their lead

The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. So, naturally, the Timberwolves found themselves in another one-shot tie-breaker against the Mavericks, and it looked like the Minnesota Timberwolves' season was on the line.

This time, however, the Timberwolves did something very incredible compared to the rest of the series. They protected their lead in the final minutes and split the game with the Mavericks at crucial moments.

The Minnesota Timberwolves still have a five-point lead with five minutes left in the game. The Mavericks chased the score to just one point on several occasions, but the Timberwolves were smart in this game. Edwards made excellent decisions on the offensive end, creating a significant three-point opportunity for Downs.

He displayed a series of turn-around moves in the box, hitting a short-range shot. He opened up space and hit a long two-pointer to keep the Mavericks under control. The Timberwolves' lead, though as fragile as being sewn together with band-aids and thread, ultimately held on.

That's exactly what we expect to see Edwards at a critical moment. Calm and composed, he was solid except for fouling Luka when he was leading by six points and sending him to the free throw line.

While he's still trying to get the referee to give him more star whistles, he's already finished games like a star player and shown his potential for the future. Now, the question is whether they can do it again in Game 5? Or better yet...... Avoid a brawl at a critical moment with a big win? It does sound crazy.

The Mavericks miss Lively a lot

Derrick Lively II, even as a 20-year-old rookie, is the third most important player for the Mavericks. (Even if others could make a reasonable argument for the team's starting wing selection, I could say that definitively).

With the young player sitting on the bench in civilian clothes after a severe head hit in Game 3, the Mavericks always needed other players to step up from unexpected places in Game 4 of the game.

Maxi Kleber has been allowed to play for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury in the final fight of the first round. When it came time to fill the void as a substitute centre-forward, Kleber stepped up silently but did an excellent job.

The Mavericks need a player who is bigger than Dwight Powell and can be trusted to rotate appropriately, and Kleber has done just that.

There were also a number of substitute defenders who stepped up. Second-year guard Jaden Hardy, who didn't make the team's rotation until Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals, came off the bench and contributed 13 points. Dante Exum added five more points in four minutes of playing time for his first time in the series.

The Dallas Mavericks need that contribution to make up for Lively — and at the same time, the Mavericks need the efficient shooting that their superduo has been throughout the series.

With five points trailing heading into the fourth quarter, the Mavericks seemed ready to repeat that familiar routine.

Doncic and Irving didn't play as well as they did in the entire series, shooting 13-of-40 from the field together. Doncic hit a 30-foot jumper with 13 seconds left in the game and drew a foul, briefly restoring that underlying magic.

However, Doncic missed a free throw that could have narrowed the deficit to two points, which was a testament to the superstar pair's form that night.

The Mavericks are now back in Minnesota with an unusual opportunity and are expected to end the series on the road with a "gentleman's sweep." While the Mavericks can win the game without Lively, his return will undoubtedly make the process easier.

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