Five Western Conference teams won 50 or more games in the regular season in what was a very balanced group at the top of the conference. The playoffs have shown that balance, with both second-round series going at least six games and both ending in upsets.
Now, the Minnesota Timberwolves host the Dallas Mavericks to start the Western Conference finals. Minnesota is searching for its first NBA Finals appearance, while the Mavericks are hoping to make a third trip to the Finals.
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Here’s a look at the storylines, odds and staff picks for Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Wednesday in Minneapolis.
All odds from BetMGM. Find the best deals on StubHub for tickets.
No. 5 Dallas Mavericks at No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves
How to watch: 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Series odds: Timberwolves -185, Mavericks +150
The Timberwolves enter this series as the favorite and with home-court advantage. Not that home court has meant much. Home teams have won just half of the games (16-16) on the Western Conference side of the playoffs.
These two teams are surprise inclusions in the conference finals. Minnesota got to Game 7 in Denver on the back of Anthony Edwards, but Edwards was just 6-for-24 in the decisive game, and the Timberwolves still won and came back from 20 points down. Edwards is emerging as one of the best players in the league and is on track to become the league’s best in a short time, but Minnesota’s supporting cast stepped up in a must-win game.
Dallas is also star-heavy with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. Like Minnesota, though, the Mavericks’ supporting cast stepped up and outplayed Oklahoma City’s last round. So, the superstars will get plenty of attention, but they may not be the deciding factors in this series.
The storylines are easy, with Edwards and Minnesota both looking for a first trip to the NBA Finals. Irving has a ring, but Dončić, another player at least in the discussion for best in the league, hasn’t made the NBA Finals yet. Dončić led the Mavericks to the conference finals two years ago, but they were dumped by the eventual champion Golden State Warriors in five games. Dončić went for 40 or more points twice in that short series, but it wasn’t close to enough. He has more help this time.
Minnesota won three of the four meetings between these teams in the regular season, but that record comes with a massive caveat. Irving played in just one of those games, and Dončić played in two. Dallas won the only meeting in which both played.
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The Timberwolves’ league-best defense had an up-and-down series against Denver. They were able to limit the Nuggets in enough games to advance, but they also let Nikola Jokić dominate at times. Minnesota’s defense is built around size and Rudy Gobert protecting the rim. Will that limit how often Dončić and Irving can drive to the paint? Will they just exploit Minnesota on the perimeter instead? It should be fun to watch this matchup materialize.
Expert picks for Mavericks at Timberwolves
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(Photo of Luka Dončić: Sam Hodde / Getty Images)
