Timberwolves need to be better at finishing quarters

Kyrie Irving closed the first half on a 5-0 run in the Mavericks' Game 1 victory.

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) controls the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) in the first quarter during Game 1 of the Western Conference finals at Target Center in Minneapolis on May 22, 2024. / Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving cut an eight-point Timberwolves lead down to three in the final minute of the second quarter of Game 1 of the Western Conference finals Wednesday night at Target Center in downtown Minneapolis. 

Trailing 62-54, Irving — who scored 24 of his 30 points in the first half — once again found his way to the rim for a layup. With five seconds remaining in the half, Anthony Edwards turned the ball over with a bad pass out of bounds. Then Irving drove right back into the paint, made a bucket and drew a foul on Jaden McDaniels. He made the ensuing free throw to make it 62-59 at halftime.

The Mavericks went on to win 108-105. 

That sequence in and of itself didn’t lose the Timberwolves the game, but it was another example of their end-of-quarter struggles that at times have cost the team this postseason. 

The most egregious example came during the final 30 seconds of the second quarter in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Denver Nuggets. The Timberwolves were trailing 56-49 with just under 30 seconds remaining. Then Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hit a 3. 

Edwards drove into traffic on the ensuing Timberwolves possession and turned it over, leading to a transition dunk from Michael Porter Jr. with three seconds remaining. Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s ill-advised inbounds pass was then stolen by Jamal Murray, who threw up a half-court shot that swished through the hoop to beat the buzzer. Suddenly, the Nuggets led 64-49 at the half. 

In Game 1 against the Mavericks, Irving's run wasn't the only sequence that hurt the Timberwolves. Luka Doncic made three straight buckets during a 13-0 Mavs run that helped them take a lead in the fourth quarter. The Timberwolves did answer with a 10-1 run of their own, but the Mavericks got back-to-back 3s from Doncic and P.J. Washington that eventually put them up for good in the victory. 

The Wolves, meanwhile, struggled offensively and couldn’t find any sort of rhythm down the stretch. 

“Terrible offense, bad shots, turnovers, no composure,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said of the late-game offense. “Thought the same for the end of the first half. We haven’t really closed quarters very well, closed halves very well over the last handful of games. 

“That cost us one game in the Denver series, certainly had an impact on this game (Wednesday), too. We have to be better in clutch moments.” 

That’s particularly true against this Mavericks team that features one of the best clutch players in the league in Irving, who time and time again shows up in big moments — both down the stretch of games and when his team needs a run most, like at the end of the second quarter.

The Timberwolves can't give the Mavericks any additional help.

“We just got to finish quarters better, be better at finishing quarters. And I think what (Finch is) probably most upset (about) is that, you know, like I said, you’re more upset about the chances you didn’t give yourself to win the game, and I know he’s not going to be pleased, obviously,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “Not getting a shot or having a turnover in those type of situations and stuff, I know he’s a stickler for that and rightfully so.” 

The Timberwolves will have to clean things up in Game 2. They haven't been fans of long layoffs this postseason, and forunately, they won't have to wait long for a rematch. Game 2 is at 7:30 p.m. Friday.