Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference Finals is set for Thursday night, and it could be the last game of this series. Dallas comes into this game holding on to a 3-1 series lead, but they just missed out on a chance to end the season.
The Mavericks have been on a great run throughout the postseason, as they have pulled off two straight upsets up to this point. Dallas will now be looking to end the series on the road, but they are heading to a tough environment.
Minnesota lost home court advantage quickly in this series, and they are going to have to win four straight games in order to advance. The Timberwolves do have some momentum after winning game 4, but it might take more than that.
Dallas is coming into this game as a 4.5-point betting favorite, and the over/under line in this game is set at 209.5 total points.
Dallas Looking to Defend
The Dallas Mavericks have been terrific throughout the postseason, especially when focusing on the defense for this team. Dallas has given up 108 points or less in every single game in the series, and that is good enough to win on most nights.
The Mavericks are riding their two superstars on offense, but the rest of the team will need to chip in as well. Luka Doncic shot just 7/21 from the field in the Game 4 loss, and other players need to chip in.
The Mavericks are hoping to get some big stops on defense on Thursday night, but they will also need to find some easy scores on offense.
Minnesota Must Make Shots
It has been a rough series on offense for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but they are typically a better offensive team at home. Anthony Edwards is consistently scoring over 25 points per game, but there will be pressure on Karl-Anthony Towns to step up.
Towns was on fire late in the Game 4 win, and that will be something to keep an eye on moving forward. If the Timberwolves are able to score from the perimeter then that should give them a great chance to win this game.
Minnesota will be looking to play physical on defense in this game, and that is how the last few games have been played.
Timberwolves Take Game 5
This has been a thrilling series up to this point, and each of the first four games could have gone either way. Dallas missed out on a great opportunity to pick up a win in Game 4 of the series, and they are now going to be facing a tough environment.
Anthony Edwards has been terrific at home throughout the postseason, and you should expect to see him playing well in this matchup. Minnesota is going to set the tone early in this game, and the Timberwolves will refuse to die.
Bet the Minnesota Timberwolves to cover the 4.5 point spread in this game as this series will head to a sixth game.
