What is basket interference? Explaining controversial call on Karl-Anthony Towns in Timberwolves’ loss to Mavericks :- In the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves fell to the Dallas Mavericks 108-105, and head coach Chris Finch chastised his team for playing carelessly.
After the game, Finch told reporters that his squad had “no composure” in the closing minutes.
What is basket interference? Explaining controversial call on Karl-Anthony Towns in Timberwolves’ loss to Mavericks
“We haven’t really closed quarters very well, closed halves very well over the last handful of games,” Finch said. We lost the Denver series as a result of that. There’s little doubt that it affected tonight’s game as well. We must improve during crucial situations.”
ALSO SEE
The fourth quarter saw Minnesota outscored 26–22, with a 10–3 advantage during the last 3:37. That countered a 13-1 run they had halfway through the quarter, which Anthony Edwards’ three-pointer finished off to put the Timberwolves ahead 102-98.
In the last 12 minutes, the T-Wolves committed five turnovers and five fouls. With 2:02 left, they fumbled the ball on three straight possessions. The first was a poor pass by Jaden McDaniels that Luka Dončić snatched.
The contentious basket interference call resulted in the second turnover. It seemed like Karl-Anthony Towns converted a put-back dunk off a Mike Conley missed three, but the officials decided that it counted as goaltending because the ball was still in the hypothetical cylinder region above the rim.
With 1:41 remaining, the Mavs were able to maintain a two-point advantage when the play would have tied the score at 104. Dončić swiped Conley’s poor pass on Minnesota’s subsequent possession, leading to the team’s third consecutive turnover.
Dallas scored five points off of the three turnovers. After Edwards’ three-pointer at 3:37, the Timberwolves didn’t score again until Naz Reid’s layup with ten seconds remaining.
Having scored 62 points in the first two quarters, Minnesota was restricted to just 43 points in the second half. The only player for the Timberwolves to shoot better than 33.3 percent in the second half was Rudy Gobert (4 of 7). In the fourth quarter, Edwards and Towns combined to shoot 4-of-11.
The T-Wolves are no strangers in this area. After falling to the Denver Nuggets three times in a row before taking wins in Games 6 and 7 to go forward, they were in danger of being eliminated in the second round.
Although it’s not ideal to constantly be in a situation where their backs are to the wall, perhaps this Timberwolves club is one that performs well under pressure.
The Mavericks and Timberwolves will find out when they play Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET at the Target Center.
For tickets to all NBA games, including those featuring the Timberwolves, visit Vivid Seats.
