3 Studs, 2 duds from Mavericks' commanding Game 3 win over Timberwolves

On Sunday night, the Dallas Mavericks battled the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals.

Dallas was coming off a huge Game 2 win as Luka Doncic drilled a dagger game-winning 3-pointer over Rudy Gobert, and the Mavs carried that momentum into Game 3 as they snagged a 116-107 win on their home floor to take a 3-0 series lead.

Chandler Parsons' prediction of a Mavs sweep is only one win away, and Dallas has all of the momentum heading into Game 4.

3 Studs, 2 duds from Mavericks' commanding Game 3 win over Timberwolves

The Mavs' ability to contain Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns in this series has been huge, and Edwards' bold statement about guarding Kyrie Irving in this series has not aged well as the Timberwolves went away from him guarding Irving.

This Mavs playoff run continues to be special, and they are showing all the signs that they can hang with any team in the NBA.

Without further ado, here are three studs and two duds from the Dallas Mavericks' Game 3 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

5. Stud - Derrick Jones Jr.

Dallas Mavericks wing Derrick Jones Jr. has been outstanding on both ends of the floor in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, and his ability to effectively guard Anthony Edwards has been huge in containing him and not allowing him to erupt for any insanely big games.

In Game 3, Jones Jr. finished with 11 points, two rebounds, and two assists while shooting 3-4 from the field and 3-3 from downtown. Jones Jr. got off to a hot start as he finished with 11 points in the first half while shooting 3-3 from downtown, and this laid the framework for him to have a great defensive-minded second half.

Jones Jr. has been one of the most underrated players on this team, and he is quickly playing himself into a massive payday this summer. He'll become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and although he reportedly wants to return, he may just play his way into a huge contract elsewhere.

His ability to selflessly play his role, guard multiple positions, and knock down open shots has made him an excellent fit into the starting lineup next to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, and it wouldn't be a shock if re-signing him ends up being the Mavs' No. 1 offseason priority.