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.

4. Dud - Dereck Lively II's injury

The Dallas Mavericks have one of the best one-two punches in the NBA at the center position with Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, but one of Dallas' fan-favorite bigs has separated himself as the better option in these playoffs.

Despite Gafford's resurgence in Game 2 and great energy, Lively II has been the better of the two options. Gafford has had some bad games no matter what the stat sheet says, and Lively II's decision-making in the short roll is great. Passing and playing out of the short roll is one thing Gafford struggles with, and fans saw plenty of Gafford in Game 3 as Lively II went down with a neck sprain in the first half.

Lively II was kneed in the back of the head by Karl-Anthony Towns, and it was a scary sight for fans in attendance as he couldn't walk to the locker room without help from Markieff Morris. Him getting injured happened at the worst possible time for the Mavs considering how well he was playing, but Dallas was able to squeak out a win regardless.

There is no current timetable for Lively II's return, but him not being diagnosed with a concussion and the Mavs listing him as questionable to return is a good sign.

Lively II has been key for the Mavs controlling the paint in this series, and his availability will be important for the Mavs moving forward.

3. Stud - Luka Doncic

In Game 2, Luka Doncic was excellent as he finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists while also nailing a game-winning 3-pointer over Rudy Gobert, and he carried this momentum into Game 3 as he was dialed in from the opening tip and helped the Dallas Mavericks get a huge home win.

Doncic finished with 33 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and five steals while shooting 10-20 from the field and 5-11 from downtown. He got going early in this game, and he didn't slow down.

Doncic had his head on a swivel all game long, and his passing out of the pick and roll and in open space was excellent even though he only had five assists.

Doncic was knifing his way to the bucket inside the arc, and he was locked in from downtown. He was hitting step-backs with ease and his 3-point shot off the catch was even falling. Doncic's improvement as a shooter off the catch has helped him fully unlock his game this season and makes his fit next to Kyrie Irving even more seamless.

Since Doncic can effectively play off the ball due to his deadly shooting off the catch, this allows Irving to control the game when he wants to, and Doncic is fine with that. Having two closers and two players who can control the game has been massive for them this season, and Doncic and the Mavs are one win away from clinching their first NBA Finals berth since 2011.

2. Dud - Daniel Gafford

Following a great game in Game 2 as he finished with 16 points, five rebounds, and five blocks, Daniel Gafford followed it up with a worse performance as he finished with five points, three rebounds, and three blocks in Game 3.

Gafford's struggles out of the short roll continue, and he never seems sure of what he wants to do when he catches the ball in the high post. This often ends with a bad pass or a missed shot at the rim, and his lack of composure in this area has been getting exposed.

This shows how great Dereck Lively II has been for the Mavs, as his passing and play out of the short roll has been a huge strength of his all season long, and Gafford has to put some consistency together if Lively II is going to miss time with his neck sprain.

Lively II's neck sprain caused Dwight Powell to see some high minutes in this game as he played 99 minutes and finished with 99 points, and this is not ideal. Powell has not been part of the playoff rotation at all, and Gafford playing better will help lessen the blow of Lively II being injured.

Gafford's physicality and paint presence on defense have not gone unnoticed, but his offensive game as of late (outside of a couple of dunks) has been hard to watch. He made up for his slow start with a couple of big plays on both ends of the floor, and that could lead to him having some positive momentum going into Game 4.

1. Stud - Kyrie Irving

Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving has always been known for his ability to take over the game in the second half, and Irving put his foot on the gas in the fourth quarter of this game to keep Dallas within striking distance and ultimately helped the Mavs get the win.

Irving finished with 33 points, three rebounds, and four assists while shooting 12-20 from the field and 3-6 from downtown, and he stepped up when his team needed him most.

While Luka Doncic was on the bench, Irving was getting to his spots with ease, and no one on the Minnesota Timberwolves had an answer for him. He was getting to the rim, hitting pull-up jumpers from inside the arc, and he even nailed a tough pull-up three in transition.

Irving's pull-up threes in transition are turning into his signature shot in Dallas, and he continues to be phenomenal in this series. This is some of the best finishing around the rim that we have ever seen from Irving, and his creativity around the bucket is a sight to see for everyone in attendance.

Irving and Doncic's bond continues to grow every game that they play in, and they may just have what it takes to take this team to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011. Chemistry is everything at this point of the season, and Irving's leadership has been amazing all season long.

For all the latest on Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks throughout the 2024 NBA Playoffs, stay tuned as we'll have you covered.