Timberwolves Hold 'Rough' Film Session; Dallas Mavericks Not Satisfied After Game 1

Despite opening the series with a victory, the Dallas Mavericks join the Minnesota Timberwolves as being motivated to improve in Game 2.

May 22, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) controls the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson (1) in the third quarter during game one of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports / Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

MINNEAPOLIS — The Dallas Mavericks won Game 1 108-105 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, marking their first series-opener win during this year's postseason. Both teams see significant room for improvement before Friday's matchup.

After Thursday's practice, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch called out the team's effort in the series-opening loss against the Mavericks. He felt they failed to rise to the occasion but expects a greater collective focus in Friday's Game 2 matchup.

"Yeah, it was a rough film session," Finch told reporters at practice in Minneapolis on Thursday. "I told the guys, ‘It’s been a long time since I’ve been this disappointed in your effort. Your performance, your attitude, your application and attention to detail just wasn’t there.’ The Western Conference finals started. Not sure if they got the memo. But they got it this afternoon.”

May 22, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) controls the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson (1) in the third quarter during game one of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports / Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Considering the Timberwolves were coming off a hard-fought seven-game series against the Denver Nuggets before advancing past the Western Conference semifinals, Anthony Edwards felt the team was probably "a little tired." After putting a target on his back by name-dropping Kyrie Irving as his assignment after that Game 7 victory over the Nuggets, Edwards was held to 19 points while Irving scored 24 of his 30 points in the first half to set the tone for Dallas.

"You guys could see it, we were just a step behind everybody," Edwards said Wednesday night. "Especially myself... Everything was on us today. I didn't get downhill as much. We just were a little tired, probably."

The Mavericks' game-planning emphasis is clearly to shrink the floor, making it challenging for Edwards or Karl-Anthony Towns to make plays in the paint while daring players like Jaden McDaniels or Kyle Anderson to take and make 3-pointers. Minnesota took 49 attempts from beyond the arc on the night with early success by shooting 11-25 (44%) in the first half but regressed to shoot just 7-24 (29.2%) for the remainder of the game. Edwards and Towns combined to shoot 12-36 (33.3%) overall.

"Yeah, I think for us, it's a matter of showing as many bodies again, making it tough," Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. "[Anthony Edwards] is one of the best players in the world. You're not gonna stop him. You can just make it tough on him and hope that he misses."

During Game 2, the Mavericks expect the Timberwolves to take a high volume of 3-point attempts again. Coach Kidd emphasized the importance of continuing to protect the paint but acknowledged how challenging it can be given how many threats Minnesota has to account for.

"We expect him in Game 2 to attack early and often. We gotta try to protect the paint," Kidd said. "They shot a lot of threes. They were hot early. I thought for us to stay together in that second half, protect the paint again—it's tough when you've got [Karl-Anthony Towns] and those guys who can put it on the floor and get to the rim...

"We believe that [Edwards] is going to come," Kidd explained. "[Mike Conley] is going to come and that they're going to be better in Game 2. We have to expect that."

While the Timberwolves are challenging themselves to be better in Game 2, the Mavericks see a significant opportunity to improve, beginning with how they handle contesting Minnesota's 3-point attempts. Jaden McDaniels matched Dallas in 3-point makes by shooting 6-9 (66.7%), while Edwards had five makes, and Naz Reid and Towns combined for another five.

"Some of them we got. We have to be better. When you shoot over 40, you're not going to be able to contest all of them," Kidd said. "But I thought, again, we have to be better. We gave a couple that we knew that we have to be better. So we got to protect the three-point line.... They're saying that they had got good looks. They believe that they can make some of those, and then the game will be different. So we have to be better at guarding the three-point line."

Dallas won Game 1 despite shooting 6-25 (24.0%) from the perimeter as a team. Luka Doncic, who finished with 33 points and eight assists, acknowledged that Minnesota's defense—anchored by Rudy Gobert and McDaniels—holds a reputation for collapsing the paint, making it essential for 3-point shooting to improve.

"They're known for collapsing the paint, so I think we can do a way better job of shooting the three, getting open looks," Doncic said Wednesday. "I think me and [P.J. Washington] had some open looks, couldn't knock him down, but we made the important ones... I see we shot 24 percent from three. We just got to get more open shots and keep shooting. There's a great shot, and keep moving the ball". "

Dereck Lively II, 20, has proven to be wise beyond his years throughout the Mavericks' postseason run and has emerged as a clear X-factor in the paint on both ends as this run has progressed. He acknowledged the expectation of adjustments from each team before Game 2, emphasizing how Dallas must be prepared to adjust on the fly.

"It's really trying to adapt... We're trying to cover in the paint," Lively said. "But at the same time, we knew it was an inside-outside game to try to be able to contest shots. They were making shots today. We're going to adapt. We're going to be able to just go back, scout, learn, figure out who the shooters, figure out what makes them feel comfortable, where they're shooting from, and try to eliminate that. We're trying to make him trying to make each player uncomfortable on the court."

After facing two previous opponents in the playoffs in series that lasted six games, Dallas understands that Minnesota could throw out different schemes in Game 2. Being able to adapt on the fly in a game is important to avoid having any particular adjustment becomes a series-changing one.

"You've got to be able to adapt. There's always going to they're going to change their schemes going to change the coverage is going to change your place," Lively said. You can't be a robot out there. It's gonna be a lot of things going at you at the fly, but you can't you can't be stuck in the mud. You got to be able to move your feet. You got to be able to move your eyes and just adapt."

While rebounding remains a focus, the Mavericks understand the importance of reducing unforced errors, particularly live ball turnovers, to avoid allowing Minnesota to attack the open floor and find a rhythm. Irving conveyed the importance of taking pride in doing the little things.

"I mean, they got guys that can cover up a lot of space and do a lot of the little things that don't show up in the stat sheet," Irving said. "They contest a lot of shots, and their rotations are pretty quick. So we know we're going against a high-powered offense but also a high-powered defense. That's what leads to a lot of their run-outs: a lot of turnovers, a lot of live ball turnovers, and getting an opportunity to score on us before we set our defense. That's what leads to a lot of their runouts... a lot of live ball turnovers and getting an opportunity to score on us before we set our defense."

"We're a good defensive team as well, so seeing a lot of chess matches out there and as long as the team that gets the most stops, gets the offensive rebounds, gets a lot of 50-50 basketballs, does those things, then they'll win," Irving explained.

The stakes are high for both teams entering Game 2. It would be a major advantage for the Mavericks to return to Dallas holding a 2-0 series lead while attempting to protect homcourt at American Airlines Center for two consecutive games. Minnesota would have as thin of a margin for error as it gets in such a situation.

READ MORE: Kyrie Irving Admits Anthony Edwards' Comment Motivated Game 1 Performance

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