Luka Dončić, Kyrie Thrill Fans as Mavs Beat Anthony Edwards, Wolves, Reach NBA Finals

Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekFeatured Columnist IVMay 31, 2024

Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

The NBA Finals are set.

Dallas clinched its first appearance since 2011 with a 124-103 victory over Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in Thursday’s Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals at Target Center. It will now face the Boston Celtics in a series that figures to be more competitive than the two conference finals that went a combined nine games.

Luka Dončić looked ready to challenge for the title of best player in the world with 36 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals on 14-of-22 shooting from the field and 6-of-10 shooting from deep.

Backcourt mate Kyrie Irving also impressed with 36 points and five assists on 14-of-27 shooting from the field and 4-of-10 shooting from deep as the duo earned plenty of love from social media:

tim cato @tim_catoit’s games like these where it’s very hard to believe anything other than Luka Doncic being the best player in the world

Rob Mahoney @RobMahoneyIt’s amazing how many of Luka’s playoff series end with the other team in complete shambles. Some of them never really recover.

Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavsThere is no one. Absolutely no one in @nba that loves the spotlight and the pressure that goes with it more than Luka Doncic. You just knew he was going to come out and do this. And if you didn’t. You haven’t watched him closely enough

Josh Eberley 🇨🇦 @JoshEberleyLuka looking like a YMCA pickup addict but somehow dishing like LeBron and shooting like Steph… Just boggles the mind.

Kurt Helin @basketballtalkDon’t make Luka angry. You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry. https://t.co/zfvKGHWQpA

Troy Renck @TroyRenckSo Luka has 20 points in the first 10 minutes. All talk of Anthony Edwards eventually becoming next Michael Jordan and it is Doncic who is playing like MJ in a close out game.

Dave McMenamin @mctenLuka Doncic to a courtside fan making the crying baby motion to Doncic after he scored and was fouled: “Yeah! Who’s crying now, motherf—er!”

Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwillLuka just styling now, getting an and one, chatting at Snoop and Jimmy Jam, then barking at fans who dare heckle him.

A futile exercise. It’s a 82-49 score

Greg Ehrenberg @gehrenbergdfsIf he plays 65 games next season and nothing crazy happens, Luka just clinched the MVP Award. This is how the voting narratives work.

Hardwood Paroxysm @HPbasketballMavs fans have been telling us for weeks this team is “special” which I rolled my eyes at but they’re just right.

30🅿️roblemz @30problemzLuka Doncic and Kyrie Irving tonight pic.twitter.com/xveLdsCB0G

Justin Verrier @JustinVerrierThis Luka-Kyrie backcourt has the feel of a peak Alabama backfield, where a guy as big as a defensive end smashes you for six plays and then a guy who runs a 4.1 40 rotates in.

Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkinsWe have a lot people above Kyrie on the All-Time Great list… and we just might need to revisit that and have a conversation! Real Talk.

Coach Gibson Pyper @HalfCourtHoopsIf Kyrie & Luka are BOTH going to be at this level, you have almost no chance at stopping the Mavs offense.

MFFL NATION @NationMfflI wish they could give Luka and Kyrie Co-WCF MVP’s.

They both deserve it man.

The Timberwolves finally had some momentum coming into Thursday’s contest after Dončić and Irving struggled with their shots during Game 4.

There would be no struggling this time.

Dončić sent the statement of all statements right out the gates with 20 points in the first quarter alone while hitting from deep, dancing around defenders and talking trash to both the Timberwolves bench and the crowd. The biggest question was whether he would outscore Minnesota by himself, and he did just that in the first quarter.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReportLUKA CANNOT BE STOPPED.

BACK-TO-BACK THREES AND 20 PTS WITH TIME STILL TO GO IN THE 1ST Q 🤯 pic.twitter.com/BSSVbDy8Ku

NBA on TNT @NBAonTNTKyrie going to work! 🤧 pic.twitter.com/hZkm2s0kbG

It was Irving’s turn after that, and the star guards combined for 44 points to the Timberwolves’ 40 by halftime.

The only drama remaining for the second half was how many fans Dončić would talk trash to as the Mavericks put the finishing touches on an incredible performance. He even had time to talk to Snoop Dogg, who was sitting in the first row behind the basket.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReportSnoop Dogg was loving this Luka shot 🔥😂 pic.twitter.com/9s4gwAGNfV

MFFL @Mavs_FFLLUKA BULLYING SNOOP 😭😭😭

Every time Minnesota made something of a spurt to give the crowd even a bit of life, Irving or Dončić was there with another basket. The latter even banked in a three-pointer from the top of the key in the fourth quarter, which felt downright cruel given the way the game unfolded.

Attention now turns to the Celtics and the daunting challenge ahead for the Mavericks, but an NBA title will likely be the end result if Dončić and Irving continue to play like they did while closing out Minnesota.