"Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving Take Responsibility for Mavericks' Loss to Timberwolves"

 

**Dallas** -- Luka Doncic took the blame for the Dallas Mavericks having to board a flight to Minneapolis instead of starting their break before the NBA Finals.

 

"I think this game is on me," Doncic said after the Mavs failed to sweep the Western Conference semifinals, losing 105-100 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 on Tuesday. "I didn't bring enough energy."

 Despite recording his sixth triple-double of these playoffs with 28 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, Doncic's shooting was poor (7-of-21 from the field), and he matched Mavs forward P.J. Washington for the worst plus-minus of the night (minus-13).

 Kyrie Irving, Dallas' co-star, also had his worst offensive performance of the series, scoring 16 points on 6-of-18 shooting with four turnovers. Dallas, now holding a 3-1 lead, saw its five-game winning streak snapped. Irving accepted responsibility for disrupting the team's rhythm, especially due to his sluggish start in the first quarter.

 "He's not alone in this," Irving said. "I expected him to say something like that, knowing how much he cares and wants to win and lead our group. So, I don't expect anything less. You've probably heard me say it too—it's on me, and that's what you should hear from your team's leaders."

 The Timberwolves changed their primary defensive assignments on Dallas' star duo. Jaden McDaniels, who guarded Doncic in the first three games, switched to Irving in Game 4, while Anthony Edwards, who spent most of the first three games on Irving, took on the task of guarding Doncic.

 This was the first time this postseason that both Doncic and Irving shot worse than 35% from the field.

 "It's not on them; it's on us as a team," Mavs forward Derrick Jones Jr. said. "We're a unit. We go out there, we play together, we win together, we lose together. It's not on one person. I know they're our leaders, they're the head of the snake, but we've got their backs through thick and thin."

 Doncic, who went 5-for-15 from the field when Edwards was his primary defender, avoided directly answering a question about Edwards' defensive impact. Instead, he took responsibility for the loss, though he later called Edwards (29 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists) an "amazing player."

 Irving credited McDaniels, a second-team All-Defense selection, for disrupting his rhythm.

 "He has a big impact," Irving said. "I mean, he's a 6-9 wing defender who I'm seeing for the first time from the start of the game. So, it's going to be an adjustment, but I like it. I enjoy these kinds of challenges."

 This loss marked the first blemish on Irving's career record in potential closeout games. He is now 14-1 when his team has a chance to eliminate an opponent, ending the longest individual winning streak in such situations in NBA history.

 "It's a new place," Irving said. "So now we just have to deal with it, handle this loss, and be ready for Minnesota and enjoy that crowd, man, because it's hostile."