One of the most competitive Western Conferences of NBA history is about to come to an end and the last two teams standing are the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Both teams have a lot of X-factors, but the Wolves might need a few particular players to step up, and it would be Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Naz Reid, who have a size advantage over the Mavs. How have the three of them fared against Luka Doncic and Co. throughout their careers? Let’s take a look.  

Anthony Edwards has been the leader for the Wolves in the playoffs this season. Although he is assisted by Karl-Anthony Towns with near 20-point performances in almost every game, the offense would turn stagnant if not for Edwards. This is exactly why he should lead the offense once again in this series. Moreover, it is going to be a challenge for him in the defensive end. He has taken the responsibility of guarding Kyrie Irving. Below are his stats from the 12 games he has played against the Mavericks. 

6MOTY Naz Reid, on the other hand, has solid numbers against the Dallas unit through the 16 games he has played against them. In the series against the Denver Nuggets for the Conference Semi-Finals, Reid averaged just below 11 points. This was crucial for the Wolves to beat the Nuggets in bench points. Moreover, with a 6’9 height and a wingspan of more than 7’0 ft, it’s going to be hard for the Mavericks to get a hold of him. Below are his stats against the Mavericks:

 Here comes the 7’1 sensation and the 4x DPOY Rudy Gobert, the tallest player in this matchup, and likely the game changer for the Wolves. Gobert has played 34 games against the Mavericks, in which the highlight is his blocks average. What’s to be noted here, is the two-way performance that the Frenchman has delivered. He will be guarding 6’10 big man Daniel Gafford of the Mavericks. Gafford is an excellent two-way player and is also a great shot blocker, which makes this series challenging for Gobert.

Below are Gobert’s stats against the Mavericks: 

 If Gobert gets going for the Wolves on both ends in this series, it’s going to be hard for the Mavs to reach the Finals! 

Which T-Wolves star had the best performance against the Mavericks in the regular season this year? 

The Mavericks and the Wolves have faced each other 4 times this season. Ant-Man and Co. have defeated the Dallas unit thrice, and out of these four appearances, the 22-year-old has been the best for the Wolves. The young shooting guard is averaging 24.5 points, 5.8 assists, and 5.0 rebounds. Wait till you hear about Anthony Edwards’ best performance.

It was on 28th December last year, where he scored 44 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Notably, the Wolves won that game, 118-110, and it just proved how crucial Edwards is on the offense. However, without a doubt, beating the Mavericks in a 7-game series is not going to be easy. Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic have phenomenal records in the playoffs.

Taking everything into consideration, the defense helped the Wolves get the best of the Nuggets. Hopefully, the Chris Finch and his army stick to that game plan to reach the finals.