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Mavericks Notes: Doncic, Irving, Lively, Hardy

May 29th, 2024 at 12:56pm CST by Luke Adams

After shooting a combined 13-of-39 (33.3%) from the floor on Tuesday, Mavericks stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving both accepted the blame for the Game 4 loss, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN writes. While Doncic cited his lack of energy and Irving mentioned his early-game sloppiness, their teammates weren’t willing to let the backcourt duo shoulder the full responsibility for the defeat.

“It’s not on them, it’s on us as a team,” Derrick Jones Jr. said. “We are a unit. We go out there, and we play together, we win together, we lose together. It’s not on one person. I know that they’re the leaders of the team, that head of the snake, but we got their back through thick and through thin.”

The Timberwolves adjusted their defensive assignments on Tuesday, with Anthony Edwards serving as the primary defender on Doncic. Jaden McDaniels guarded Irving, who admitted after the game that the All-Defensive wing represented a new challenge.

“He has a huge impact,” Irving said of McDaniels. “I mean, he is a 6-9 wing defender that I’m seeing now for the first time from the start of the game. So it’s going to be an adjustment, but I love it. I relish in these type opportunities.”

Here’s more out of Dallas:

Referring to Dereck Lively as the Mavericks’ third-most important player, Tim Cato of The Athletic says the rookie center’s absence was noticeable in the Game 4 loss. Lively told Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link) that his neck sprain is a “day to day thing” and that he’s trying not to rush his recovery and return. On FanDuel’s Run it Back show (Twitter video link), Shams Charania of The Athletic said it’s promising that Lively didn’t have to enter the concussion protocol, adding that there’s a chance the big man could be back for Game 5, though that’s far from a certainty.
Lively isn’t the only Mavericks youngster giving the team important playoff minutes. Second-year guard Jaden Hardy scored 13 points in just 12 minutes of action in Game 4, making 3-of-4 three-pointers and throwing down a highlight-reel dunk. “It felt great to see some shots go in while I was out there,” Hardy said, per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “I’m just trying to bring energy and bring another element to the team that makes us different and trying to make this championship run.” Hardy is under contract for one more season before becoming eligible for restricted free agency in 2025.
The Mavericks still hold a commanding 3-1 lead over Minnesota in the series, so there’s no need to panic yet, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). Still, it will be crucial not to let the Timberwolves continue to gain confidence by winning additional games. “This is a great opportunity for us as a young team to go through this,” head coach Jason Kidd said.

Wolves Notes: Towns, Edwards, Finch, Anderson

May 29th, 2024 at 8:17am CST by Luke Adams

No Timberwolves player had more points (29), rebounds (10), or assists (9) in Game 4 on Tuesday than Anthony Edwards, but the fourth-year shooting guard told reporters, including Dave McMenamin of ESPN, that teammate Karl-Anthony Towns deserved credit for the victory that saved the club’s season. Towns, who struggled immensely during the first three games of the series, scored 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting (4-of-5 threes) and was a game-high +15.

“Everything came together for him; he was super confident,” Edwards said. “He played exceptionally well, and he came through big-time. He was the reason we won tonight.”

Head coach Chris Finch, who said after Game 3 that Towns’ shooting woes were “hard to watch at times,” praised the star big man for bouncing back, referring to the performance as a “great step” for him.

“KAT’s a great player,” Finch said, per McMenamin. “His struggles were not going to last forever. He got himself going. Even when he got deep in foul trouble, we left him out there. … Just let him roll, and he played smart, played under control, rebounded really well for us, executed defensively. Really proud of him.”

Here’s more on the Wolves, who still trail Dallas by a 3-1 margin in the Western Conference finals:

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, who is still recovering from knee surgery, is off his crutches and came onto the court in the third quarter on Thursday to object to the fifth foul call on Towns, earning a technical foul of his own in the process. As Sam Amick of The Athletic writes, Finch was looking to “inject emotion” into the game by earning that tech and then taking over the team’s huddles for the first time since he injured his knee a month ago. “He fired us all up,” Naz Reid told Amick. “He’s doing that, and he’s bringing that energy, so it’s like, ‘We ain’t got no choice.’ It’s definitely special and huge to see him that engaged, and that in the moment. So everybody’s excited for that. I mean, you see he’s limping and it doesn’t matter. He’s still gonna keep going.”
Kyle Anderson logged a series-high 25 minutes in the Game 4 win, and while he had more fouls (3) than points (2), he made the most of his increased role by adding four assists, four rebounds, and three steals. Anderson was also an important factor in a crucial late-game possession, directing Towns to the corner and then making sure Edwards knew he was open for a three-pointer (Twitter video link). “I was dribbling the ball. I damn sure was about to shoot it,” Edwards said of the play, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “And I seen him pointing at big fella, and I’m like ‘OK, cool.’ Big fella, he done cashed out.”
After struggling in clutch situations throughout the series, the Timberwolves came up big down the stretch on Tuesday, holding onto a slim lead in the game’s final minutes as Edwards consistently made the right decisions on offense, writes Zach Harper of The Athletic.
While the Wolves remain a long shot to come back and win the series, it bodes well for the franchise going forward that Edwards and Towns performed so well in an elimination game in late May, notes Jim Souhan of The Star Tribune.

Wolves Notes: Game 4, Anderson, Clutch Situations, Towns

May 28th, 2024 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Ahead of Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday, Jim Souhan of The Star Tribune acknowledges that the odds of the Timberwolves mounting a comeback and winning the series over Dallas are extremely long, but stresses that they’re not zero — even if no team is NBA history has ever advanced after facing a 3-0 deficit.

The first two games of the series were decided by a single possession and the Wolves had the lead in Game 3 with five minutes to play, so it’s not as if they haven’t been competitive. Souhan suggests that playing Kyle Anderson more following the forward’s solid performance on Sunday makes sense for Minnesota.

Souhan also points out that the team could regain an advantage in the frontcourt with Dereck Lively not expected to be available for Game 4 due to a neck injury. The Mavericks had a +14.7 net rating in Lively’s 63 minutes on the court during the first three games of the series, compared to a -6.9 mark in the 81 minutes he didn’t play.

For their part, the Wolves’ players are trying to avoid thinking about winning four games and instead focus on winning one, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.

“It stays in the belief department right now,” Mike Conley said. “Just, mentally believing that it’s one game. Just one game. Get one, bring it back to Minnesota and give ourselves a chance in this series. We’re more than capable of doing that.”

Here’s more on the Wolves ahead of a must-win Game 4:

The Mavericks’ superiority over the Wolves in clutch situations was foreshadowed in a January game in which Dallas closed out the fourth quarter on a 15-2 run after trailing by six points with four minutes to play, Hine writes for The Star Tribune. According to Hine, Minnesota had the league’s worst net rating in clutch situations from that night through the end of the regular season.
There will be a “reckoning” this summer in Minnesota if Karl-Anthony Towns – who is shooting 27.8% in the series vs. the Mavericks – doesn’t turn things around before the Timberwolves are eliminated, writes Chris Mannix of SI.com. As great as the season has been, the Wolves’ financial situation going forward may be untenable due to the big raises coming for Towns, Anthony Edwards, and Jaden McDaniels, which will push team salary above the second tax apron. Of the club’s high-priced players, KAT is the one whose future in Minnesota appears least certain.
John Hollinger of The Athletic shares some thoughts on the Timberwolves/Mavericks series, observing that Anderson has been Minnesota’s most effective defender against Luka Doncic. It could benefit the Wolves to lean more into that matchup, Hollinger writes, but it’s tricky to play Anderson alongside Rudy Gobert due to the lack of shooting and spacing. Hollinger also takes a closer look at Towns’ struggles, noting that three-point inaccuracy has been an issue but that the big man is also having trouble scoring inside against a stifling Dallas defense.

Conley Listed As Questionable

May 27th, 2024 at 7:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

With his team facing elimination on Tuesday, Timberwolves guard Mike Conley is listed as questionable with a right soleus strain, the team’s PR department tweets. Conley had 16 points and four assists in 31 minutes in Game 3 on Sunday.

Lively Expected To Miss Game 4; Kleber Listed As Questionable

May 27th, 2024 at 4:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks won’t have their outstanding rookie center for Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals but they could get another veteran big man back in action.

Dereck Lively won’t play as the Mavericks try to close out the series against the Timberwolves on Tuesday, Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT tweets. Lively is officially listed as doubtful to play by the team, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon tweets.

Lively suffered a neck sprain during the second quarter in Game 3 on Sunday when he fell backward in the lane and was inadvertently kneed in the head by Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns. Lively’s head snapped forward upon contact. He was down on the court for several minutes before appearing dazed as he was helped to the locker room.

Lively has knocked down all 13 of his field goal attempts in the series. He had a 14-point, 9-rebound outing in Game 2.

Fortunately for Dallas, Maxi Kleber could be back in action. He’s listed as questionable, according to MacMahon.

Kleber has been out since May 3 due to a right shoulder injury, officially labelled an AC joint separation. He averaged 5.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 19.5 minutes per game while appearing in all six first-round games against the Clippers.

Luka Doncic (right knee sprain/left ankle soreness) is also listed as questionable again, though it would be surprising to see Doncic sit out a closeout game. Doncic was a game-time decision on Sunday and wound up dominating with 33 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals in the 116-107 victory.

Wolves Notes: Towns, Defense, Edwards, Gobert

May 27th, 2024 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Karl-Anthony Towns has been misfiring throughout the Western Conference Finals, but his shooting struggles were particularly painful in Sunday’s Game 3 loss, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Towns, who finished with 14 points, shot just 5-of-18 from the field and 0-of-8 from three-point range. He missed all four of his attempts in the final five minutes, including three from beyond the arc, as Minnesota’s offense collapsed down the stretch.

“He struggled, of course,” coach Chris Finch said at his post-game press conference. “It was hard to watch at times.”

The Wolves haven’t been able to keep up with Dallas’ high-powered attack while getting limited production from one of their prime scoring threats. Towns is shooting 27.8% in the series, which McMenamin notes is the fourth-worst mark of any player through the first three games of a conference or divisional finals in the shot clock era (minimum 50 shot attempts).

“I’ve got to laugh,” Towns said. “I’m putting up to 1,500 shots a day. Shot so well all playoffs, confidence extremely high. To be having these unfortunate bounces and these looks that are just not going in, it’s tough. It’s tough, for sure. I’m good confidence wise. Just got to keep shooting.”

There’s more on the Timberwolves:

Towns’ poor shooting and questionable decision-making in the series raise questions about whether he should be part of the team’s long-term future, per Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. Towns’ four-year, $221MM extension kicks in next season, likely pushing Minnesota into second apron territory and limiting its options for improving the roster.
Towns’ three-point shooting and the league’s top-ranked defense have carried Minnesota all season, but neither has been effective in the conference finals, observes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Whether Finch has tried to guard Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving straight up or blitz them with an extra defender, the Mavericks‘ play-makers always seem to have an answer. Finch has also experimented with his big-man rotation, benching Towns for Naz Reid late in Game 2 and sitting out Rudy Gobert for more than nine minutes in Sunday’s fourth quarter.
The Mavericks’ edge in experience and the individual brilliance of Doncic and Irving have been too much for Minnesota to handle, notes Sam Amick of The Athletic. Even though the Wolves were locked in a season-long battle for the top record in the West, it’s rare for teams to win titles when their best player is still early in his career. “We’ve got (Anthony Edwards), who’s 22, and Dwayne Wade won a championship at that age,” Gobert said. “(Wade) was the guy, but he was surrounded by some other veterans who helped him grow. I think that’s the way I feel about our team. Ant is not in his prime yet, but he’s still (capable of leading a title team). For him, it’s about learning every day, being willing to learn and grow, and he’s done that. Sometimes the pain of losing is the best lesson, but I think we’ve had some of that. I think we’ve had enough of that. Now it’s ‘Let’s win it.’”

Mavs’ Lively Suffers Neck Sprain After Knee To Head

May 26th, 2024 at 9:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks rookie center Dereck Lively departed Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals on Sunday night due to an injury labeled by the team as a neck sprain (Twitter link).

Lively was hurt during the second quarter when he fell backward in the lane and was inadvertently kneed in the head by Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns.

Lively’s head snapped forward upon contact. He was down on the court for several minutes before appearing dazed as he was helped to the locker room, according to The Associated Press. While many observers suspected Lively might have suffered a concussion, the team did not immediately reveal any testing results.

Lively has been a major factor in the postseason. He made all three of his field goal attempts with three rebounds in Game 3 prior to the injury and has now knocked down all 13 of his field goal attempts in the series. He had a 14-point, 9-rebound outing in Game 2.

Lively posted double-doubles in the last two games of the conference semifinals against the Thunder. Overall, he was averaging 8.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 blocks in 22.4 minutes across 14 postseason games entering Sunday’s contest.

With Dallas taking a 3-0 lead in the series, the Mavs can afford to be cautious with Lively even if he doesn’t enter concussion protocol.

If he needs to miss any games, the Mavs will have to rely on Daniel Gafford, Dwight Powell and smaller lineups to fill the void up front. Maxi Kleber remains sidelined due to a right shoulder injury.

Edwards Vows To Be "Super Aggressive"

May 26th, 2024 at 5:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A more aggressive Anthony Edwards and a more physical, forceful defensive effort against Luka Doncic could allow the Timberwolves to turn the Western Conference Finals around, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports opines.
Edwards concurs with Goodwill’s assessment, vowing to be a bigger offensive force in Game 3 this evening, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “I’m going to be super aggressive,” Edwards said. “I haven’t taken more than 16 shots in each game. So I’m going to be ultra-aggressive coming out, for sure.” The Timberwolves guard also says he and his teammates are unfazed by the prospect of being down 2-0 in the series and needing to win at least two road contests. “It didn’t do nothing but add fuel to the fire for Game 3,” Edwards said. “I think all my teammates ready to go, it’s fun. … I think we’re in a pretty good mood. Everybody’s smiling and joking. We know we’re a good team. We know it’s not over. I don’t think anybody’s worried. Just know we got to come ready to play tonight.”

And-Ones: Fan Favorites, Media Deal, Bacon, Shooting Guards

May 26th, 2024 at 3:04pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The votes have been tallied for league appreciators’ “Fan Favorites” for the 2023/24 season, per NBA.com. Fans voted for various categories via the NBA App, NBA.com and the @NBA handle on social media.

All-Star Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards won Block, Dunk and Photo of the Year honors, while Bulls swingman DeMar DeRozan won Assist of the Year, All-NBA Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was honored with the Style of the Year accolade, and Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving was praised for possessing the Handle of the Year.

There’s more from around the wider basketball world:

NBA players stand to reap major financial benefits from the league’s lucrative impending batch of media rights deals, writes Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. As Vorkunov notes, based on the terms reported, the agreement is set to pay the league $6.9 billion annually, which is about two-and-a-half times what the league is earning under its present TV deal. Suddenly, a $100MM maximum annual player salary is in play, and could possibly happen as soon as 2032/33.
Following a prolific season with Shanghai Dongfang in Chinese Basketball Association, former journeyman NBA guard Dwayne Bacon has agreed to a deal with Puerto Rican team Leones de Ponce, according to Dario Skerletic of Sportando. Bacon spent four years in the NBA, last playing for the Magic in 2020/21.
Keith Smith of Spotrac unpacks the top free agent shooting guards set to hit the market this summer in a new tiered ranking system. He lists seven starting-caliber wings, 17 rotation-level players, and 25 other players with upside at the position.

Northwest Notes: Edwards, Malone, Simpson, Zanik

May 25th, 2024 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Anthony Edwards was so dominant in the first two rounds of the playoffs that it’s easy to forget he’s only 22. However, his age and postseason inexperience might be catching up to him in the Western Conference Finals, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. The Timberwolves guard is shooting just 11-of-33 from the field so far against the Mavericks, who have thrown him off his game by mixing up coverages and using multiple defenders.

“It’s not harder to get (to the basket). They just pack the paint once you get there,” Edwards said. “So, I mean, you’ve got to make the right play because there’s three, four people in the paint. You’ve got to watch the game, so it’s all about just making the right play, and my teammates are open.”

History shows that players in their early 20s don’t enjoy a lot of postseason success. Hine points out that Edwards is going up against Kyrie Irving, who’s a decade older and has a championship ring, and Luka Doncic, who’s in his sixth NBA season and reached the conference finals two years ago. It’s difficult for Edwards to compensate for that difference in experience, but he has to figure out something quickly before the series slips away.

“With Anthony, he’s gotta pick up his decision making,” coach Chris Finch said. “I think Kyrie is actually a good example — he’s playing quick off the catch, he’s trying to beat our defensive pressure with everything on the catch, going quickly.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

Nuggets coach Michael Malone admits he probably overused his starters, which led to their exhaustion at the end of Game 7 against Minnesota, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Durando notes that Denver’s starting five was on the court together for 958 minutes during the regular season, which was more than any other group over the past six years. “On one hand, we got the two seed,” Malone said. “And on the other hand, I’m watching our players play in Game 7 in the second half, and our guys looked dead tired. I think you guys probably saw the same thing. So did I run our players into the ground? I’m sure that’s definitely part of it.”
Colorado’s KJ Simpson had a pre-draft workout with the Nuggets this week, tweets Tyler King of The Denver Gazette. The junior point guard ranks 51st on ESPN’s big board. Denver holds the 28th and 56th picks in this year’s draft.
Jazz general manager Justin Zanik returned to work this week after recovering from a kidney transplant, per Alex Vejar of The Salt Lake Tribune. A spokesperson for the team said Zanik had been targeting a return shortly after the draft combine.