Dallas, TX
Mavericks vs. Timberwolves Game 3 Preview: 3 things as Dallas looks to put Minnesota on the brink
Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks return to Texas as conquering heroes and with a 2-0 series lead; two games on the road won by a total margin of four points. After Denver and Minnesota took turns exchanging blowouts, this series has been a “you bought the whole seat but you’ll only need the edge of it” non-stop thrill ride.
Taking the 2-0 lead is a huge accomplishment for sure, but there’s no sense that this is a team that is going to rest on their laurels. Without tempering the post-game celebration too much, Coach Jason Kidd reminded his team that they’d just stolen two games on the road – Minnesota was no doubt going to try and do the same. The Mavs should be riding high, but there’s work to be done in Dallas.
Take command
In their previous two series, with a 2-1 series lead, the Mavericks had opportunities in game four to take a commanding series lead. It doesn’t take advanced stats to tell you being up 3-1 is a world apart from being knotted up with two wins apiece. However, after a 31-point comeback against the Clippers, and despite leading nearly the entire game against the Thunder, Dallas wasn’t able to clinch either of those game fours. It’s a little surprising considering Dallas has often looked like the best closing teams in these playoffs, able to lean on Doncic and Kyrie Irving in the clutch to bring home the win.
Now, up 2-0, the Mavericks have another shot at putting the opponent on the brink. They deserve enormous credit for how resilient they’ve been, never losing back-to-back games this postseason, bouncing back strong from that pair of game-four losses. But it’d be nice to see this team assert their will and put themselves in an overwhelmingly dominant position. Not that the job is done at 3-0, but a larger margin for error is always welcome. (Plus, not to look ahead, but it doesn’t seem like the Pacers are going to provide much more than nominal resistance to Boston’s path to the finals, especially if Tyrese Haliburton is out for game three.)
No notes, keep it up
Dallas’ defensive track record speaks for itself in these playoffs (unless you’re a national NBA talking head who just thinks Dallas’ opponents just keep missing shots). In particular, they have made scoring in the paint a nightmare for opposing teams all playoffs. That has held true against Minnesota, even with Rudy Gobert down low and Anthony Edwards trying to attack the rim.
In the first round, Edwards was scoring 30% of his points in the paint. In the next round, against Denver, the number jumped to just north of 43% of his points. Against Dallas, Ant is scoring just 15% of his points in the paint.
With Dallas’ concerted effort to close down the paint and restricted areas to any and all opposing players, teams have been more reliant on jump shots and three-pointers. Edwards, who has by his own admission been gassed at the end of games, has had to rely more on on his outside shot to put points on the board. Tired legs and long jumpers just don’t mix. Minnesota’s scoring output has fallen precipitously in each of the first two games the longer they played, often lucky to pass the 20-point mark in the fourth.
The Mavericks’ defense is body blows all game long. They need to continue to wear teams down, guard the paint with their lives, and live with the occasional hot game by the Naz Reid’s of the world.
All out blitz
After a game where Doncic had a 32-point triple-double and shot over 45% from three, it’s not a wild expectation that Minnesota will try to do all they can to limit Doncic; even if it means giving up good looks for other players.
After a series where P.J. Washington and Derrick Jones Jr. took turns lighting it up from deep, both have been a little quieter on the offensive side this series. In two games, Washington is just 2-of-12 from deep while Jones Jr. is 0-for-5.
Those two are too important to Dallas’ defense to be out of the game for long, but when they’re not knocking down shots, it forces Coach Kidd to search for a spark from someone else off the bench. In game two, he was cycling through Jaden Hardy, Tim Hardaway Jr, and Dante Exum during a second quarter where the Wolves were building their 18-point lead, hoping one of them would provide some pushback on the scoreboard. The rotations are just a little easier to pilot if he can count on some offense from one of his starting wings.
Washington and DJJ are both due for a hot shooting game, and if Minnesota decides to sell out to stop Doncic at all costs, the shots will be there for them. They just need to knock ‘em down.
How to watch
You can broadcast or stream the game on TNT at 7:00 p.m. CDT.
Police shoot suspect after truck rams cruiser
Dallas police are searching for a suspect after an attempt to stop a stolen truck led to a shooting in Northeast Dallas.
DALLAS – Dallas police have released the names of the three people arrested at a Northeast Dallas apartment complex on Thursday,
17-year-old Eric Lampkin-Scarborough, 21-year-old Damon Price and 19-year-old Deantae Moore were arrested after ramming two police cruisers in a stolen truck.
Police say Moore was wanted on two counts of capital murder after two 18-year-olds were killed on Dixon Avenue this March.
Camren Stacy was found on the ground outside of a vehicle and Kamari Smith-Capps was found in the driver’s seat on March 22.
An arrest warrant affidavit obtained by FOX 4 says Moore was Instagram messaging Smith-Capps about buying “Glock Switches” before the shooting.
Dallas Police Shooting
DPD says on Thursday afternoon they tried to stop a red truck that had been flagged as stolen.
The truck rammed two police cruisers in the parking lot of the Lakeside Apartments and the four suspects inside ran from the area.
Police shot one of the suspects, Eric Lampkin-Scarborough. He is in the hospital in stable condition. Police say he was armed at the time of the shooting.
Deantae Moore and Damon Price were also arrested.
In connection to Thursday’s incident, Price was charged with the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, two counts of aggravated assault of a public servant, and a probation violation for the manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance.
A fourth suspect got away. Police say they are working to identify the suspect, but there is no description at this time.
Police say three guns were recovered in the area.
Chief Eddie Garcia is expected to release more information and video of the incident in the coming days.
Thursday was an eventful first day of the Dallas Cowboys training camp. The front office attempted to answer tough questions, and even an emotional Dak Prescott spoke about his future with the franchise.
So, let’s start today on a lighter note, celebrating the best player ever to wear the number 44 for the Cowboys.
A second-round pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, Robert Newhouse played the role of bruiser in the backfield for the Cowboys. Playing for the franchise from 1972 to 1983, Newhouse appeared in 168 games, starting in 75.
The fullback position is a lost art in the game today; however, in this era, Newhouse’s position was vital to the success of most teams in the league.
Many of the greats from this franchise have a ring to compliment their time in Dallas; Newhouse is no different. Newhouse was a member of the 1977 team that went on to win the Super Bowl.
Sadly, Newhouse passed away back in 2014. The legacy of the number 44 starts with Newhouse. A Texas boy who went to college in Houston and found his professional home in Dallas.
Texas made and is now known as one of the best to play for the Cowboys.
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Day 1 of Dallas Cowboys training camp is in the books, meaning we have a lot to revisit.
To start things off, Jerry Jones dominated much of the team’s camp-opening news conference by answering questions about contract extensions, fan frustration and expectations. Stephen Jones and Mike McCarthy were also in attendance but didn’t generate as much buzz as the Cowboys owner and general manager.
Before the team’s first practice started, Jerry Jones had already coined a word of the day and pointed out the positive trajectory of the team’s season ticket sales. Here’s a look at what we learned from Day 1 of Cowboys training camp:
Jerry Jones and ambiguity
Much of Jerry Jones’ Thursday monologue included the phrase “ambiguity.” The word was mainly used while discussing frustration from the fan base after a slow summer that was marked by minimal moves on the free-agency market, a holdout from CeeDee Lamb and the lack of an extension for Dak Prescott.
“After 35 years, the one thing that is for sure is ambiguity,’’ Jerry Jones said. “Just the nature of what being a part of sports, a part of football is, is very ambiguous.
“There is always going to be many dangling participles out here of unfinished business. That’s the reality of it.
“That’s what frustrates you [media],’’ Jones continued. “And if it frustrates you it frustrates fans, obviously, to not have closure or to not have bright lines.
“That’s not in my mind. That’s not in my life. I don’t ever anticipate it getting any better with the NFL and the Cowboys.’’
Read more here from The Dallas Morning News’ David Moore.
A lame-duck year for Mike McCarthy?
Following the team’s news conference, Jerry Jones told a small group of reporters that McCarthy has the ability to become Dallas’ coach for years to come. McCarthy is in the final year of a five-year contract.
“I don’t agree with you,” Jones said. “I understand the term and I understand how it fits. I don’t look at it that way. There’s a point in there, I know our fans would like it if everybody were on a low contract, but if they won a Super Bowl, they’d get rid of [everybody]. I’m talking about every coach, every player, I’m talking about everybody. I know that’s the fans’ sentiment. I know that for a fact that you don’t domino if you don’t [win a Super Bowl]. But if you get it, it’s glory hole. Oil and gas term of hitting the big well.”
When asked why McCarthy didn’t receive an extension after the 2023 season, Jerry Jones pointed toward Dallas’ latest wild-card playoff loss to the Packers.
“Green Bay,” Jones said. “Mike has shown me that I want to have him and he’s qualified and he’s excellent and the players are excellent and he’s shown me that he could be our coach for years to come. He sits next to me in the draft. I really call on him a lot. If you can’t get along with Mike McCarthy, you can’t get along.”
Read more from The News’ Calvin Watkins here.
Where do extension talks stand for the Cowboys’ three big stars?
A majority of Dallas fans most likely already know CeeDee Lamb is in the early stages of a camp holdout. The Cowboys receiver is seeking the largest contract for a non-quarterback in league history.
He isn’t the only one seeking a big payday, as Micah Parsons and Dak Prescott are also in line for extensions. Parsons, who said he’ll wait until next year to get a new contract, also wants one of the largest contracts for a non-quarterback in league history.
That leaves us with Prescott.
The Cowboys quarterback desires to retire with the franchise that drafted him but is comfortable knowing it might not end that way. Prescott, entering the final year of his deal, expects to get a fair market value contract if he doesn’t get an extension this year.
“I want to be here but when you look up all the great quarterbacks that I watched, played for other teams,” Prescott said. “So my point in saying that it’s not something to fear. It may be a reality for me one day. It may not be my decision. The freedom that I have is be where your feet are, make the most of it, be confident in yourself, make your team better. I love my teammates I love that locker room.”
Read more here.
What Jerry said about his trial
Before the Cowboys owner joined his team in Southern California, he spent part of the week preoccupied with a trial in Texarkana. Jones brought a countersuit against a woman alleging she was his biological daughter, accusing the woman and her mother of breaching a settlement agreement reached in 1998. The trial came to a sudden resolution Tuesday as the parties settled, signaling the end of multiple lawsuits Jones has faced since 2022.
“Well, we got it resolved like I wanted. And so it was unfortunate but it is resolved,” Jones said Thursday. “And it was, of course, very sensitive with my family and it was very sensitive with the unique publicity that’s involved with the Cowboys, but it was [resolved] satisfactory for all concerned. I won’t be commenting any more about it, but I certainly are where I want to be.”
Read more here.
More coverage of Cowboys camp Day 1
— Jerry Jones remains comfortable selling the past, even in Cowboys’ most puzzling offseason
— While Cowboys navigate contract storm, Dak Prescott reveals honest outlook on future
— Was Jerry Jones sending a message to frustrated Cowboys fans with reference to ambiguity?
— Takeaways from Cowboys’ camp-opening address: Jerry Jones focuses on elephant in the room
— Cowboys owner Jerry Jones comments on dismissed paternity dispute in training camp address
— Why hasn’t Mike McCarthy gotten a contract extension yet? ‘Green Bay,’ Jerry Jones says
— Highlights from Jerry Jones, Mike McCarthy at ‘State of the Cowboys’ address in Oxnard
— Back in the saddle: See photos from Dallas Cowboys’ first training camp practice and opening news conference
Reporting from staff writers Calvin Watkins and David Moore was used in this post.
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
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