Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving each scored 33 points, and the Dallas Mavericks made all the crucial plays late to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-107 on Sunday night, taking a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

The Mavericks finished with a 14-3 run to win their fifth straight playoff game. The victory came despite the Mavs’ rookie center, Dereck Lively II, being taken out of the game in the second quarter with a sprained neck after taking an unintentional blow to the back of the head from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Mark Cuban’s Dallas Mavericks are currently competing in the Western Conference Finals.

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No team in NBA playoff history has recovered from a 3-0 deficit, but Doncic says Dallas is not taking anything for granted.

“We need one more [win], nothing’s done,” he stated after the game. “They have an amazing team, so nothing’s done yet.”

Minnesota coach Chris Finch admitted that his club has struggled in the closing minutes of games against Dallas.

“Throughout the series, we have failed to close games… “We’re losing in these three-minute games,” he told reporters afterward.

PJ Washington began the Mavericks’ crucial run with a corner three-pointer after Doncic passed to Irving, who then passed it to Washington.

The co-stars took over from there.

Doncic sank a shot in the lane for a four-point lead, Irving enthralled the crowd with a falling-down jumper, and Doncic found Daniel Gafford for an alley-oop dunk for a 113-105 lead with 34 seconds left after Gafford blocked Mike Conley’s basket attempt on the opposite end.

“They tried to double [team] me the whole game, they tried to double Ky, that just makes us better,” Doncic stated. “Everyone touches the ball, and everybody plays… “We come down the stretch and execute.”

Anthony Edwards led the Wolves with 26 points, but only four after Minnesota scored eight consecutive points to tie the game in the third quarter. He and Doncic exchanged words near the end of the game.

“I can’t say,” Doncic replied with a smile when asked what the two said to each other.

Finch defended Edwards following the game.

“Of course he is learning…” He is 22 years old, in the Western Conference finals, and has a lot on his shoulders. We have high expectations for him. “This is a learning experience for him.”