The NBA playoffs resumed on Thursday with Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, as the Minnesota Timberwolves tried to keep their postseason journey alive and avoid being eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks. Unfortunately, their memorable playoff run came to a close by way of an absolute smashing by Luka Doncic and his Mavs teammates.
The MVP candidate is now heading to his first NBA Finals and sets up a fascinating clash between him and teammate Kyrie Irving versus the gifted Boston Celtics duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. With the Western Conference Finals in the books, let’s look at the 10 biggest winners and losers from Game 5 on Thursday night.
Winner: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
We all knew that Luka Doncic was one of the best players on the planet. However, after coming up short in the conference finals two years ago and the disastrous finish to last season, it seemed like he might be one of those players who would never make the NBA Finals. Well, that goal has been checked off the bucket list after posting a team-high 36 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in Game 5.
He got hot in the first half and once the Mavericks took a big lead they never looked back. He was outstanding in one of the biggest games of his career and took his legacy to a new level by getting to his first championship series.
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Loser: Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
While Anthony Edwards did not have a bad game on Thursday, he will still be the face of a disastrous elimination loss in the playoffs. The Timberwolves have yet to make it to the finals and with their backs against the wall in Game 5, he and his teammates went out with a whimper after roaring through the playoffs over the last few weeks. It will be a night that likely gives the young superstar a lot of motivation heading into next season.
Winner: Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks were a mess at the end of last season after trading for Irving. However, this second season was a very different situation and the grand hopes the organization had in the Doncic and Irving combo became a reality in a major way in these playoffs. In Game 5 the future Hall-of-Famer delivered a team-high 36 points and was a huge part of helping get the Mavs to their second finals in team history.
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Loser: Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
Rudy Gobert is making a huge amount of money, and he didn’t prove to be worth any of it on Thursday. The $43 million man was a game-worst -23 when he was on the court, and in his 26 minutes, he managed just five rebounds, nine points, and no blocks as he was non-existent during the team’s biggest game of the season.
Winner: Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks
It takes a special kind of coach to make a combo like Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving work while building a solid defensive team around them. But that is exactly what Jason Kidd has done this season. He has molded the two stars into the best-scoring backcourt ever and created a team that is dangerous in multiple ways. If Kidd can deliver a second championship to Dallas — this time as a coach — his legacy will be forever cemented in Big D.
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Loser: Mike Conley, Minnesota Timberwolves
Mike Conley will go another season without an NBA championship. The 17-year veteran was questionable heading into the game but played nonetheless and was unfortunately unable to offer his team much in a massive Game 5. The well-respected guard will be 37 in October and may have been a part of his last best chance at winning a long-sought-after NBA title.
Winner: Daniel Gafford, Dallas Mavericks
Daniel Gafford was one of the best pickups at the NBA trade deadline earlier this year. While he won’t fill up the stat sheet with huge numbers, he is one of the dirty-work, glue players who have made a massive difference in helping give Dallas a much-needed defensive edge and interior presence. He was a game-high +26 when he was on the court and continues to be one of the biggest under-the-radar reasons the Mavs are now in the finals.
Loser: Tim Hardaway Jr., Dallas Mavericks
While his team won, Tim Hardaway Jr. continued to prove why the Mavericks don’t need him and he is sure to be playing elsewhere next season. The expensive reserve player has had good moments in these playoffs, but Jason Kidd making him a healthy scratch for the last three games shows he isn’t a fit for a championship contender in the league right now.
Winner: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
While Karl-Anthony Towns has a reputation as an injury-prone player, he helped to bolster his value in these playoffs if the Timberwolves end up moving him this summer. The team would love to keep this team together and run it back next season, however, with Gobert being nearly untradable, keeping Towns may not be feasible for the organization financially next season.
But with him playing well in the playoffs and posting 28 points and 12 rebounds in a big Game 5, the ‘Wolves should be able to get a strong return in a trade for the four-time All-Star.
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Loser: Chris Finch, Minnesota Timberwolves
When it mattered most Chris Finch got a sad and embarrassing effort from his team. No lead is ever safe in the NBA but the Minnesota head coach could never rally his troops and get them to chip away enough to make it a game in the second half. While he deserves praise for the job he did in 2023-24, he had one of his worst performances as a coach in the final game of their season.