Timberwolves at Mavericks Game 4 preview: TV-radio information, injury report, stats and analysis

Dallas leads the best-of-seven NBA Western Conference finals series 3-0.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
May 27, 2024 at 11:04PM
Rudy Gobert (27) of the Timberwolves and Luka Doncic (77) of Dallas have been central figures in the Western Conference finals series. (Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

NBA Western Conference finals

Timberwolves vs. Dallas Mavericks

Best-of-seven series (Dallas leads 3-0)

Game 4: 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, American Airlines Center, Dallas

TV, radio: TNT/TruTV; 100.3 FM, iHeartRadio app

Stats and analysis: Tap here.

Opening bell: No NBA team has rallied from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series, and that’s 154 times. These playoffs are the third time in the best-of-seven format that a team has started 3-0 in both the Eastern and Western Conference. Boston also started 3-0 in its series with Indiana. Last season, Miami won the first three games in the Eastern finals, including the first two at Boston. The Celtics won the next games to tie the series, but then lost Game 7 at home 103-84.

Players to watch: Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, Mavericks. The backcourt stars have owned this series’ fourth quarters. Both have made the Wolves pay for their late-game mistakes and both have proved again they are lethal scorers. In the past 50 NBA seasons, they are the first backcourt pair to each score 30 points or more in multiple games of a single conference finals. They combined to score 63 points in Game 1 and then 66 in Game 3. They each scored 33 points, with Doncic scoring 11 in the fourth quarter and Irving nine.

Injuries: For the Mavericks, C Dereck Lively II (neck sprain) is out, while Doncic (knee, ankle) and F Maxi Kleber (shoulder) are questionable. Kleber hasn’t played since May 3. For the Wolves, G Mike Conley (calf) is questionable.

Forecast: The Wolves have been unable to corral Irving and Doncic, and need a major turnaround in shooting success from Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards. Four more victories has proved impossible so far in NBA history, but right now getting even one — despite such close margins so far — seems daunting.

about the writer

about the writer

Jerry Zgoda

Reporter

Jerry Zgoda covers Minnesota United FC and Major League Soccer for the Star Tribune.

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