At the end of the first quarter of Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, the Dallas Mavericks had a double-digit lead, Target Center was silent and Luka Doncic was on pace for 80 points.
Things didn't get much better from there for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Two days after saving their season, the Timberwolves were eliminated from the NBA playoffs in a game that was nearly dead after the first 12 minutes and nearly over at halftime, with the Mavericks leading 69-40 going into the locker room before ultimately winning 124-103.
Dallas is in the NBA Finals for the first time since winning in 2011 and will face the Boston Celtics.
The man who made it big for the Timberwolves was, of course, Doncic, who finished with 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. He averaged 32.4 points through the five games and was named the series MVP after the game.
His 20 points in the first quarter gave the Mavericks an early lead that continued to grow, which would have been even more shocking had the team not done the exact same thing in the consolation game two years ago.
The Mavericks kept dunking on the Timberwolves in the second quarter, and TNT's Ernie Johnson followed suit during the halftime show.
“There's something terrible going on at Target Center.” – Ernie Johnson
“Ernest, what can you do?” – Kenny Smith
“I'll beat you to a pulp. 69-40. You're still alive.” – EJ 🏀🎙️😂 pic.twitter.com/46nnNii9s6
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 31, 2024
The Timberwolves entered the second half needing the biggest halftime comeback in NBA playoff history, an alley-oop from Doncic to P.J. Washington on the first play of the third quarter. The quarter was actually a relatively improved one for Minnesota, who trailed by just 24 going into the fourth.
Kyrie Irving led the way in stifling the Timberwolves, scoring 17 points in the second half to tie Doncic with 36 points, plus five assists and four rebounds. Mavericks rookie Derek Lively II also broke an NBA record by making 16 of 16 field goals in the series, many of which were easy alley-oops.
Minnesota raised the white flag with three minutes left in the game, and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban embraced his players on the sideline.
Timberwolves enter offseason with many questions
The good news for the Minnesota Timberwolves is that they have Anthony Edwards under contract through 2029. He may not have lived up to expectations this season, but Edwards has proven himself to be a bona fide superstar along the way, and acquiring players like that is the hardest part of winning an NBA championship.
Then you start to wonder what the team could be if their current setup isn't good enough to win a championship.
The big thing that will dictate the team's offseason is the money issue: how much the team is willing to spend and who will pick it up. The team's ownership situation is becoming a battle between owner Glen Taylor and potential majority shareholders Alex Rodriguez and Marc Roer. The choice is between the guys who have paid a combined $1.5 million in luxury tax since 2004 and the guys who will cut his salary even further, which he claims is a big deal.
With Edwards and Jaden McDaniels' contract extensions set to begin this summer, Minnesota has already guaranteed nine players $190.8 million for next season, well above the NBA's proposed $171.3 million tax limit.
Putting the team together means owners are paying more than ever, not to mention expanding the roster. Karl-Anthony Towns just finished his ninth season but still faces the problems of uneven play that have plagued him since the beginning of his career. Mike Conley is 36 years old. Rudy Gobert is two years eligible for an extension after Minnesota spent draft capital to acquire him. McDaniels could be a decent player. Naz Reid is a free agent in 2025.
The Timberwolves had a great regular season and their Game 7 win over the defending champion Denver Nuggets was a significant moment, but after what happened in Dallas, it's hard to imagine they're a team that can easily repeat that feat next season.
What does it mean for Minnesota? It's hard to see a path forward without a trade, which would likely mean letting go of stars like Towns and Gobert. We'll just have to wait and see how big of a shock they plan to make.
