Luka Doncic Dominant, but Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves Beat Mavericks
Luka Doncic returned to the hardwood for the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night, but the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves came away with the 110-108 win at Dallas' American Airlines Center on Wednesday night.
The 20-year-old rookie forward scored 27 points while also contributing 12 rebounds and six assists in his first game back since suffering a right thigh contusion on March 28 at Miami.
The Timberwolves led 91-79 with just over 11 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, but Doncic put the Mavericks up 104-101 with what has already become a signature step-back three-pointer at the 2:45 mark. However, the Mavs couldn't complete the comeback.
Timberwolves All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns led all scorers with 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
With both teams eliminated from playoff contention, these final few regular-season games are about pocketing moral victories heading into a long summer.
Luka Doncic Must Improve Outside Shooting to Bring Mavs to Contention
The probable NBA Rookie of the Year delivered an impressive double-double performance against the T-Wolves with just one glitch: shooting 2-of-8 from three.
Alone, that could easily be explained away as an off night from a very young player. But pieced together within the larger context of Doncic's 32.6 percent three-point shooting this season, it's an area of his game that needs addressing.
Prior to shooting a dismal 7-of-39 from three-point land in Wednesday's loss, NBA.com ranked the Mavs 25th in the NBA with a collective 34.3 three-point shooting percentage. With Doncic as the face of this franchise for the foreseeable future, the turnaround starts with him.
Just how lethal can Luka be once his step-backs become more efficient?
Marc Stein of the New York Times published on Tuesday an interview with 14-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki, the face of the Mavericks for the last two decades. In it, Nowitzki commented that Doncic "took me under his wing" this season.
The 40-year-old has inevitably taken Doncic under his as well, and one thing (among countless) Doncic should take note of before Nowitzki retires is the 7-footer's incorporation of the three into his game.
Nowitzki has appeared in five All-Star three-point contests throughout his career, and the three-ball is the icing on top of his skill set. While Doncic and Nowitzki are two completely different talents, the same can be true for a 6'7", 218-pound Doncic.
What's Next?
The 31-47 Mavs will host the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night before heading to Memphis to play the Grizzlies again Sunday evening.
The 35-43 T-Wolves' next game will take them to Miami on Friday night, and the Timberwolves' have the opportunity to affect the Oklahoma City Thunder's seeding in the Western Conference playoffs Sunday afternoon.
Both teams' seasons will end on Wednesday, April 10.
