NBA Western Conference finals
Timberwolves vs. Dallas Mavericks
Best-of-seven series (Dallas leads 3-0)
Game 4: 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, American Airlines Center, Dallas
TV, radio: TNT/TruTV; 100.3 FM, iHeartRadio app
Stats and analysis: Tap here.
Opening bell: No NBA team has rallied from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series, and that's 154 times. These playoffs are the third time in the best-of-seven format that a team has started 3-0 in both the Eastern and Western Conference. Boston also started 3-0 in its series with Indiana. Last season, Miami won the first three games in the Eastern finals, including the first two at Boston. The Celtics won the next games to tie the series, but then lost Game 7 at home 103-84.
Players to watch: Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, Mavericks. The backcourt stars have owned this series' fourth quarters. Both have made the Wolves pay for their late-game mistakes and both have proved again they are lethal scorers. In the past 50 NBA seasons, they are the first backcourt pair to each score 30 points or more in multiple games of a single conference finals. They combined to score 63 points in Game 1 and then 66 in Game 3. They each scored 33 points, with Doncic scoring 11 in the fourth quarter and Irving nine.
Injuries: For the Mavericks, C Dereck Lively II (neck sprain) is out, while Doncic (knee, ankle) and F Maxi Kleber (shoulder) are questionable. Kleber hasn't played since May 3. For the Wolves, G Mike Conley (calf) is questionable.
Forecast: The Wolves have been unable to corral Irving and Doncic, and need a major turnaround in shooting success from Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards. Four more victories has proved impossible so far in NBA history, but right now getting even one — despite such close margins so far — seems daunting.
