NBA Playoffs 2023/24, Conference Finals, Game 5, Friday, 31.05.2024
After my first three successful Timberwolves Mavericks picks for Game 1, 2 and 3, I was also right in Game 4 when I sided with the Wolves for the first time in this series.
What I suspected due to the sudden loss of Dereck Lively II came true: less dominant Mavs at the board!
For tonight, I expect Minnesota to prevail again. That could keep the Timberwolves hoping they can pull off the greatest comeback in NBA history after all.
The Timberwolves won Game 4 thanks in part to an outstanding performance by their two most important offensive players. Anthony Edwards scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns shone with 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting.
Towns varied his attacks and hit crucial 3-pointers. Edwards, on the other hand, was much more aggressive in attack this time and broke through the opposing defense several times, which was decisive for the eventual victory.
This first really convincing performance by the Wolves’ two superstars in this series was in any case decisive for yesterday’s 105:100 victory over the Mavs. Has the knot finally burst?
Minnesota also earned the win thanks to the excellent cover provided by Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Anthony Edwards took over the Slovenian’s defense, while Jaden McDaniels took care of Irving.
The result? The Mavericks’ star duo scored just 44 points between them on a shooting percentage of 13 from 39.
Despite Doncic’s triple-double (28 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists) and Irving’s 16 points, their efficiency remained low this time. Edwards and Towns outscored Doncic and Irving by 54 points to 44.
The decisive factor was that Edwards and McDaniels, in contrast to Games 1 to 3, played physically robust defense without committing too many fouls. It was their most convincing performance to date against the strong Mavs duo
The Timberwolves had also struggled to keep up the pace in the fourth quarter in previous games in this series. Despite a strong performance in the first three quarters, their offensive efficiency often dropped significantly in the final period.
In Game 4, however, they managed to break this pattern. Led by Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 10 of his 25 points in the final quarter, the Timberwolves scored 27 points, compared to the 22 to 20 points in the previous games.
However, let’s get to the main reason in my Mavericks Timberwolves prediction for Game 3 why Minnesota was able to prevent the sweep: the absence of Dereck Lively II.
The Mavericks had to do without their rebounding machine, who was out due to a neck injury sustained in Game 3. His absence meant more playing time for Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber, who returned from his shoulder injury.
As a result, the Wolves were able to secure more rebounds and get into the paint much more often than in the first half of this series.
Whether Lively will return for Game 5, however, remains uncertain. In any case, his absence had a massive impact on the Mavericks in both defense and offense, which Minnesota was able to exploit shamelessly
This game could certainly also go the way of a player bet. Edwards in particular seems to have turned a corner, so an outstanding performance like the one against the Nuggets seems very likely.
With regard to the Timberwolves Mavericks odds for the outcome of Game 5, the bookmakers have also understood that Minnesota’s dream of the NBA Finals is far from over.
With average win odds of 1.53 to 2.60 in favor of the Wolves, they are even very firm in their opinion.
By the way: Euro 2024 is just around the corner and the anticipation of exciting matches is growing. Fans and betting enthusiasts alike are looking forward to the tournament. With European Championship betting, soccer fans can support their favorites and bet on thrilling matches.
In addition, many betting providers are offering a special Euro 2024 bonus that provides attractive offers and additional winnings.
These bonuses make betting even more interesting and provide additional motivation to get involved with the European Championships.
Conclusion: The famous “momentum” is clearly swinging in the Timberwolves’ favor again at the moment, who, after fending off the Mavs’ match point, now get to play at home again.
Edwards and Towns looked much more determined to me in Game 4 than before. Minnesota was also able to keep up the pressure right to the end this time, something Dallas has not been used to from their opponents so far.
Last but not least, the absence of Dereck Lively due to injury is perhaps the strongest argument for me as to why the Wolves will cut the deficit to 2:3 tonight.
