After a disappointing Game 4 loss at home, Dallas Mavericks stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving took full responsibility for failing to secure a spot in the NBA Finals.
They left no doubt in Game 5 on the road, leading the Mavs to a decisive 124-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. This win clinched the Mavericks’ third Finals appearance in franchise history and the first since their 2011 championship.
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving combined for an impressive 72 points, with Doncic scoring 36 and Irving matching his total. Doncic’s performance earned him the Magic Johnson Trophy as the Western Conference Finals MVP. He began the game by outscoring the Timberwolves single-handedly in the first quarter, 20-19, and finished the series with averages of 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. Doncic became the fifth player in the last 60 years to lead his team in total points, rebounds, and assists heading into the Finals, joining the ranks of LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Tim Duncan, and Mavs coach Jason Kidd.
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“I don’t take this moment for granted at all. It took me 7 long years,” Irving said.
Irving, who scored just 16 points in Game 4, bounced back with a career-high 36 points in a series-clinching game. His performance ensured the Mavericks’ victory and set up a Finals showdown with the Boston Celtics.
Despite strong efforts from Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, who each scored 28 points, the Timberwolves could not extend their season. Their return to the Western Conference Finals after 20 years ended in disappointment.
Doncic and Irving’s 35+ points each marked the first time teammates have achieved this feat in a Conference Finals game since Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant in 2001. The Mavericks now look forward to their Finals matchup, aiming to capture their second NBA championship.