NBA Playoff Picks 5/26 – Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks

NBA Playoff Picks 5/26 – Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks

by Thomas Quaynor for Wannamakeabet.com

The Western Conference Finals switches venues tonight as the third-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves (56-26) go on the road to face the fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks (50-32) in Game Three at American Airlines Center on TNT. Dallas holds a 2-0 series lead after winning Games One and Two in Minnesota. They won both games by a total of four points. Minnesota won three of the four regular season meetings between these teams, including a 34-point (121-87) victory at home on Jan. 31, so being down 2-0 is not the result many expected. Dallas is a 3-point favorite and the total is 207.5. 

Dallas took a 2-0 series lead after winning Game Two 109-108 on a Luka Doncic step-back three-pointer with 3.1 seconds left. Dallas trailed by as many as 16 points in the third quarter. Luka Doncic led Dallas with a triple-double of 32 points (10-23 FG, 5-11 3Pt, 7-7 FT), 13 assists and 10 rebounds in 41 minutes. Doncic has posted triple-doubles in four of his last five playoff games. Kyrie Irving chipped in with 20 points (7-16 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 2-5 FT), six assists, four rebounds and a steal across 39 minutes. Daniel Gafford added 16 points, 5 rebounds and 5 blocks in 21 minutes.

NBA Playoff Picks 5/26 – Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks

Dallas has now won four straight postseason games on the road and five of their last six road contests. They are two wins away from making their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011 when the Dirk Nowitzki-led Mavs upset the Miami Heat. It would also be their third NBA Finals appearance in franchise history.  

Backup power forward/center Naz Reid led Minnesota with 23 points (8-13 FG, 7-9 3Pt), two rebounds, two steals and a block across 32 minutes in Minnesota’s Game Two loss. He missed a three-pointer at the buzzer that would have won the game for Minnesota. Anthony Edwards chipped in with 21 points (5-17 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 9-10 FT), seven assists, five rebounds and a block across 40 minutes. Edwards has struggled in the first two games of the series averaging 20 ppg on 33.3 percent shooting from the floor. He averaged 28.9 ppg on 50 percent shooting from the floor across 11 games in the prior two series against Phoenix and Denver.

GAME STORYLINES: MINNESOTA

After deciding to part ways with superstar stalwart Kevin Garnett in July 2007, the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise went into a tailspin. They suffered through 10 straight losing seasons from 2008-2017 and 13 losing seasons over 16 years. Minnesota only made one playoff appearance (2017-18) in the 14 years after Garnett was traded. Through all the lean years post-Garnett, Minnesota landed the No. 1 overall on two occasions in 2015 and 2020. 

Minnesota selected Kentucky big man Karl-Anthony Towns with the first pick in 2015 and Georgia shooting guard Anthony Edwards with the top pick in 2020. Both players quickly became All-Star caliber performers in the NBA which led to a quick turnaround in Edwards second year – 2021-22 – when Minnesota increased their win total by 23 games improving to 46-36 and earning the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. Minnesota then traded for three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in July 2022.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards becoming elite players along with the acquisition of Rudy Gobert ultimately led to the tremendous success Minnesota is experiencing this season. Minnesota finished the regular season with a 56-26 record which was their most wins since the 2003-04 season when they won a franchise-record 58 games with MVP Kevin Garnett. This Minnesota team has also won a playoff series and advanced to the Western Conference finals for the first time since that 2004 season. 

The magnificent play of 22-year-old superstar Anthony Edwards is a big reason for Minnesota’s resurgence. The two-time All-Star averaged a career-high 25.9 points per game, along with 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.3 threes on 46.1 percent shooting from the floor in 79 games during the regular season. Edwards has been even better in the postseason averaging 27.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 3.1 threes on 48.2 percent shooting from the floor through 13 postseason games. He’s scored over 40 points three times in the postseason. 

Anthony Edwards prolific scoring exploits and athleticism caused some to compare him to a young Michael Jordan. But those comparisons have quieted as Edwards has struggled over his past three games, and Minnesota now finds themselves in an 0-2 hole after dropping the first 2 games of the Western Conference Finals at home. Minnesota is 5-1 on the road in the playoffs so Edwards has a realistic shot at redeeming himself starting tonight in Game 3.   

NBA Playoff Picks 5/26 – Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks

GAME STORYLINES: DALLAS

The 2018-19 season was the perfect encapsulation of the past and future for the Dallas Mavericks organization as it was Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki’s last year and future Hall of Famer Luka Donic’s rookie season. It was almost as if Dirk was passing the proverbial torch to Luka Doncic, with Doncic taking that torch and becoming arguably the best player in the NBA who is now 2 wins away from also leading Dallas to the NBA Finals. Dirk Nowitzki spent all 21 seasons of his NBA career with Dallas and won an NBA title. Dirk also made 14 All-Star teams, 12 All-NBA teams and won the 2007 NBA Most Valuable Player award. 

Luka Donic is on an almost identical Hall of Fame trajectory to Dirk Nowitzki as he’s already made 5 All-Star teams and named to the All-NBA first team five times in his 6-year career. He’s also finished in the top five of MVP voting 3 times. Dallas also made draft night trades to select both players. They traded sixth pick to nab Dirk Nowitzki at No. 8 in 1998 and traded the fifth pick to acquire the No. 3 pick Luka Donic in 2018. 

The 25-year-old superstar Doncic may have had his best season of his stellar career this year when he finished the regular season averaging a league-leading and career-high 33.9 points per game, along with 9.8 assists, 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 4.1 threes on 48.7 percent shooting from the floor in 70 games. Doncic now holds five of the six highest ‘points per game in a season’ averages for a Mavs player. The other belongs to Mark Aguirre who averaged 28.8 ppg during the 1983-84 season, which ranks third.

Despite being somewhat hobbled by left ankle soreness and a right knee sprain, Luka Doncic has been terrific in the postseason. Doncic is averaging 28 points, 9.4 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 3.0 threes through 14 games. He has also posted 5 triple-doubles in the postseason and closed out the Oklahoma City series with 3 straight triple-doubles.   

The Mavericks took a risk when they acquired free-agent-to-be guard Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets in February 2022. Irving had worn out his welcome with several teams in recent years and had become a lightning rod for controversy due to some controversial comments. After a disappointing first season as a Maverick that ended with a 38-44 record and no playoffs, Kyrie Irving surprised many by agreeing to a 3-year, $126 contract to stay with Dallas. Everything has gone smoothly for Dallas ever since as Kyrie has been a good teammate and developed the on-court chemistry with Luka that everyone expected during the 2022-23 season. 

Dallas also made two significant additions at the February trade deadline when they picked up forward P.J. Washington from Charlotte and center Daniel Gafford from Washington. Both players have been excellent with Dallas and played key roles in the deep playoff run they are currently on. Washington was great in the Oklahoma City series where averaged 17.7 ppg and 8.3 rpg in 6 games. Gafford is averaging 13 ppg, 7rpg and 3bpg through the first two games against Minnesota in the Western Conference Finals. 

THE PICK: TIMBERWOLVES (+3)

Minnesota has been very good on the road in the postseason. I think Anthony Edwards breaks out of his slump and Minnesota prevails tonight. Take the points and the Timberwolves!

NBA Playoff Picks 5/26 – Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks