Timberwolves stay alive with Game 4 road win over Mavericks

Anthony Edwards came through with a game-high 29 points, Karl-Anthony Towns regained his form from beyond the three-point arc, and the Minnesota Timberwolves stayed alive in the Western Conference finals with a 105-100 victory over the host Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 on Tuesday night, May 28 (Wednesday, May 29, Manila time).

With their first win in the best-of-seven series, the Timberwolves earned a Game 5 at home on Thursday night, hoping to blaze a trail to become the first team in NBA history to rally to advance after trailing 3-0.

Luka Doncic posted a 28-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist triple-double for the fifth-seeded Mavericks, who won the first two games of the series in a previous trip to Minnesota.

After Minnesota led by as many as 12 early on, the teams battled on even terms for the first 18-plus minutes of the second half, with a Towns three-pointer with 5:41 remaining giving the Timberwolves a 92-90 lead.

The visitors never trailed again, thanks in large part to Towns, whose triple on Minnesota’s next possession made it a five-point game.

When Towns connected again from beyond the arc with 2:54 to go, and Edwards followed with a banker in the lane 67 seconds later, the Timberwolves had broken things open at 100-92.

A desperation three-pointer by Doncic as he was being fouled with 13.0 seconds left kept the Mavericks alive at 103-100, but he missed the subsequent free throw.

After a timeout, Naz Reid got behind a pressing Dallas defense for a game-clinching layup with 11.1 seconds remaining.

Edwards’ series-high point total came as part of a near triple-double. He also found time for team-highs in rebounds with 10 and assists with 9.

Ant and KAT lead the way on the road to force a Game 5 back in Minnesota! 🐺🐺

Edwards: 29 PTS, 10 REB, 9 AST
Towns: 25 PTS (9-13 FGM), 5 REB, 4 3PM

Game 5 tips Thursday at 8:30pm/et on TNT 🍿 pic.twitter.com/1Akarqib5l

— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2024

After missing 19 of his 22 three-point attempts in the first three games of the series, Towns buried four of five before fouling out with 25 points. He made 9 of his 13 shots overall.

Rudy Gobert equaled Edwards’ 10 rebounds while also completing a double-double with 13 points for third-seeded Minnesota, while Mike Conley had 14 points and Jaden McDaniels 10.

Kyrie Irving was held to 16 points on 6-for-18 shooting from the field, while Jaden Hardy had 13 points, Daniel Gafford chipped 12 to complement 8 rebounds and 3 blocks, and PJ Washington added 10 points.

Things were tied at 49-all at the break, with Edwards and Doncic each leading their respective teams with 17 points apiece. Minnesota was up 78-73 heading into the fourth quarter. – Rappler.com