Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving lead Mavs past Timberwolves in Game 1

D’Angelo Russell

Tim MacMahon, ESPN Staff WriterMay 22, 2024, 11:17 PM ET

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Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas MavericksAppears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM

MINNEAPOLIS — Luka Doncic enjoyed the luxury of being paired with another superstar for most of the Wednesday’s Western Conference finals opener. He struggled by his perennial first-team All-NBA standards for the first 36 minutes, but his Dallas Mavericks remained within striking distance of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Kyrie Irving scored 24 of his 30 points in the first half to buy Doncic time to find his rhythm. Doncic came through as the closer for the Mavericks, scoring 15 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter as Dallas came back to pull off a 108-105 Game 1 win.

“I just said to myself, ‘We got to win this game. I gotta be way better,'” Doncic said. “Because three quarters, I didn’t play good. So I just came into the fourth, got to my spots and lead the team to win.”

Doncic, who has been dealing with a sprained right knee since the first round and is being guarded by second-team All-Defensive selection Jaden McDaniels, misfired on 12 of his first 19 shots from the floor before
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