In closing out a tight game, a coach will always pick nerves of steel and experience to play controlled basketball to eke out a win over an opponent.
The Dallas Mavericks simply did just like that. With the game tied at 104 in the last remaining 1:04 of the closing quarter, Dallas scored four points to the Timberwolves 1 to win 108–105 and snatch home court advantage for the series.
This places more pressure to the younger Timberwolves who must now try to dig into themselves to come up with a winning formula if they want to stop Dallas to advance and win the Western Conference Championships.
The Mavericks most experienced players provided the steady nerves and the clutch plays all night long.
Luka Doncic, still playing hurt gave his all scoring 33 points, 8 assists 6 rebounds and 3 steals.
He scored when it mattered as he netted 15 points of his night long total in the second half
He was ably supported by Kyrie Irving who after a series of so-so scoring nights put up 30 points 5 rebounds and 4 assists 24 of those points keeping them alive in the first half. PJ Washington and Gafford were the other two Mavericks in double figures.
This time the vaunted and stingy Minnesota defense was not able to work well and the Mavericks had lots of dunks and unchallenged opportunities to the basket.
The losing Timberwolves simply did not adjust well to the solid defense played on them.
Anthony Edwards saw the lanes more often clogged without room to drive or dish off an assist; he struggled all night, putting in 19, well below his average of 28.9 in the playoffs though contributing too in other department, 11 rebounds and 8 assists.
Karl Anthony Town too was limited to 16 points. Indeed, the other Timberwolves starting with Jaden Mcdaniels (24 points) were superb as Gobert, Anderson and Reid scored in double figures but the Dallas defense held firm in the more important moments of the game.
Surely the Timberwolves are still groping; the last finals they were in was 20 years ago while the Mavericks had played this far two years ago.
Kylie Irving, the only starter with a championship ring in this series had performed superbly showed that indeed experience and poise can be a factor in tightly fought games like what just transpired in Game 1.
Now the adjustments have to be made by both teams to win the series.
