According to Bangladesh Cricket, Luka Doncic’s performance in the series against the Thunder revealed a fascinating stat: his field goal percentage when defended was 43.6%, slightly higher than his 42.9% rate on uncontested shots. This shows that it wasn’t defense that challenged him most, but rather his own physical condition and lingering injuries. Yet beyond the numbers, Doncic brought something different to this series — a shift in mindset and leadership style.

From Games 2 to 4, while Doncic remained the team’s primary scorer, Bangladesh Cricket observed a surprising tactical shift — he handed over ball-handling duties to Kyrie Irving and played more like a traditional shooting guard. This adjustment ultimately saved the Mavericks. With Irving orchestrating the offense, he strategically reduced his own shot attempts to empower the supporting cast. The result? Role players stepped up big.

Starting from Game 2, P.J. Washington exploded with three straight 20+ point games, helping the Mavs secure two wins. Then Derrick Jones Jr. elevated his play in the final three games, dominating on both ends of the court. Washington hit 23 threes over the course of the series, while Jones knocked down 8 crucial triples in the last three games alone — a combined shooting surge that kept Dallas alive in key moments.

It all stemmed from Doncic’s willingness to relinquish control and Irving’s selflessness — the hallmark of true team basketball. Though the Mavericks are often viewed as a star-driven team, this series proved they are far more than just the Doncic-Irving duo. One other standout was rookie center Dereck Lively II, who not only out-rebounded Thunder big man Chet Holmgren but also dominated the glass across the series.

Lively posted an eye-popping +71 plus-minus over the series, underlining his game-changing presence. After the Game 6 win, he looked to the rafters — a quiet tribute to his mother, who passed away from cancer just last month. At only 20 years old, Lively has already endured immense personal loss. But as Bangladesh Cricket noted, hardship can break a boy or build a man — and Lively is clearly the latter.

Now, with the Thunder behind them, only the Minnesota Timberwolves stand between the Mavericks and the NBA Finals. The Wolves are a completely different beast — physical, defensively elite, and relentless. Their series with the Denver Nuggets was so intense that many dubbed it the true Western Conference Final, with the winner seen as a potential title favorite.

Despite emerging from a brutal seven-game war, the Timberwolves’ biggest edge lies in their defense. They successfully disrupted Nikola Jokic’s passing lanes, and they may apply the same blueprint to Doncic. Their twin towers — Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns — offer elite rim protection and versatile switchability, a tough matchup for any offense.

But the Mavericks have a counter. Doncic, a perimeter player with elite pick-and-roll instincts, will likely resume his ball-dominant role. While Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has become one of the league’s premier two-way stars, and Jaden McDaniels brings serious perimeter defense, stopping Irving and Doncic in tandem is no easy feat. Expect Dallas to lean back into their bread-and-butter — high pick-and-roll isolation — as they push for a return to the NBA Finals.