Timberwolves take Game 4 from Mavericks in crunch time, 105-100

Karl-Anthony Towns had his most impactful effort in Game 4 and poured in 20 second-half points in the win | Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Despite harrowing foul trouble for Minnesota’s main stars, the maligned Karl-Anthony Towns carried them to victory with timely outside shooting in the fourth

After a slew of lead changes throughout the final frame, Karl-Anthony Towns found his famed shooting touch (4-for-5 in the fourth quarter) and come through in the clutch with 20 second-half points to help stake Minnesota to a game 4 win 105-100. Anthony Edwards put his stamp on the first half with 17 of the team’s first 35 points, and the Wolves worked through foul trouble and closing demons.

Edwards (29 points and 10 rebounds) and Towns (25 points and 5 rebounds) outdueled their more celebrated Dallas counterparts, while Mike Conley (14 points and 7 assists) supplied first half firepower in the win.

Dallas’ Luka Doncic (28 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists) carried his team in the opening impressively again, while Kyrie Irving had his first subpar game of the series (16 points and 4 assists). Without rim-running big Dereck Lively (neck sprain), they started both Daniel Gafford (12 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and PJ Washington (10 points and 5 rebounds) and , and struggled out of the gates with 4-for-17 shooting.

In a physical opening quarter that looked more like a Cowboys / Vikings tilt, the Wolves switched out McDaniels and Edwards onto Doncic and Irving from possession-to-possession. Undeterred by the increased physical contact that the referees allowed, Doncic hit two threes. Gobert figured prominently on both ends of the action. Edwards initiated the Minnesota offense from different spots on to better diversify his attack, and the team went up ten. Dallas’ back-up guards helped the team draw closer, and despite Edwards’ high-scoring quarter, the Wolves clung only to a 27-20 advantage.

Mike Conley’s scores sandwiched a 9-0 Mavericks run to start the second period. Dallas reserve Dante Exum hit two right-side threes to help reduce the Wolves lead rapidly. After the spigot went dry on Minnesota’s offense, the Mavericks took the lead late in the half with Doncic primarily as facilitator. Dallas benefitted from double-figure free throw attempts and drawing numerous fouls on the Wolves throughout. Though the offenses again stalled out in the waning moments, the Mavericks were satisfied heading into the break tied.

The Mavericks seemed shot out of a cannon in the third with Doncic scoring and setting up others. Despite getting scores from Towns and McDaniels, Edwards resorted to passing out of trouble and air-mailed a pass well over McDaniels. Despite his offensive success, Towns picked up two more fouls – plowing into two Mavericks’ defenders. Towns did spearhead an 8-0 run, and Dallas struggled to respond. Minnesota went into the fourth up five after a three from Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Edwards’ buzzer beater.

Observations

The point differential between the two teams after four games is Dallas +8.
I had a chance (along with several dozen fans looking for autographs and selfies) to follow Bill Walton to the Hall of Famer player entrance at the Mohegan Sun in 2022 during Manu Ginobili’s enshrinement weekend, but decided against it – as it looked like each tough step he took carried the weight of his many surgeries. Mr. Walton did find the right way to say Tim Duncan’s name with the proper gravitas, as evidenced in this wonderful montage from the Spurs 110-82 win over the Lakers in 2003 West Semis game 6. His voice is heard throughout the broadcast, and he seemed to secretly enjoy that San Antonio victory as much as we fans did.
Edwards would benefit from watching film of the downhill action of Manu Ginobili along with later career Tony Parker footwork and paint maneuvering in the off-season.
Towns must lead in the incredibly “uhhhhh what was he thinking” fouls count. He picked up two in succession in the first quarter, and then his third on a loose-ball foul where he was clearly boxed out. His fifth foul happened midway through the crucial third period.
Irving’s ability to finish with his left hand is better than most guards’ ability to use their right.
On Minnesota’s first possession, Edwards committed the “Lonnie Walker IV out of bounds violation,” but McDaniels and Towns hit their first attempts. To no one’s surprise, Dallas’ first makes came from Irving and Doncic. Edwards’ three buckets came from different spots around the court, and Gobert’s awkward eurostep transition layup put the Wolves up four. Many Mavericks possessions resembled rough-looking sequences. Edwards’ three pushed the lead to ten, but the Mavericks’ quarter was salvaged by threes from Green and Hardy. As a result, Dallas’ deficit was trimmed to seven.
After Conley’s three, Irving ignited the Mavericks’ first real push, while Exum took the baton to eat into the Minnesota lead. Doncic matched threes with Edwards, and the teams continued to struggle finding any footing inside the arc on offense. Derrick Jones, Jr.’s pair of threes – from Jokic-level passes from Doncic – tied the game. Alexander-Walker got his first points on a corner three, but Edwards, Towns AND Gobert sat with three fouls as Doncic methodically drew several of them. The teams exited the half knotted at 49.
Knowing that the Wolves needed scoring from him, Towns drove forcefully to the basket to earn a lay-up. Doncic’s two man game with Gafford continued to garner Dallas plentiful scoring. Gobert got into it with Jones, Jr. and they were assigned double technicals. Towns’ second lay-up and and-1 and Edwards knifing lay-up put Minnesota back in the lead, but Towns inexplicably picked up his fifth foul jumping into PJ Washington on a shot attempt. Edwards’ steal and transition dunk put his team up four, and the teams went scoreless over the next three minutes. Hardy’s electric dunk was answered by Alexander-Walker, and Hardy’s bucket was answered by Edwards’ jumper. Minnesota held onto a 78-73 lead exiting the third.
Hardy’s three continued his flash of hot shooting, and Gafford’s dunk tied the game briefly at the start of the fourth. Gobert’s lay-up and Gafford’s goaltend on his next attempt put Minnesota up five. Doncic’s lob to a soaring Jones, Jr. evoked the “we just saw man fly” remark from Kevin Harlan, and Irving followed that up with a transition lay-up to make it a one-point game. Gafford turned away two straight Towns floaters. The five fouls against Towna and Gobert made it very difficult for them to defend, but they were able to attack the basket with impunity at the other end. Towns’ corner three put them up 95-90. Doncic’s stepback three attempt that would have tied the game fell short, and Towns’ wing three gave the Wolves almost an insurmountable lead.
Edwards’ Jordan-esque move and bankshot pushed the Wolves out eight, and despite Towns fouling out, Edwards’s shotclock beating jumper provided the clinching points. After Doncic was unable to complete an audacious four-point play, Minnesota held onto a precious lead this time.