Luka Doncic and the Mavericks pushed the Timberwolves to the brink of elimination Sunday. Dallas beat Minnesota 116-107 to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals, and per usual, Doncic played a major role in his team’s victory.
Doncic tied for the game-high in scoring with his teammate Kyrie Irving. Each dropped 33 points, but Doncic was also able to add seven rebounds, five assists and a whopping five steals to his final stat line.
Doncic made some memorable shots throughout the evening, but what drew the most attention from NBA fans was an interaction he had with Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards near the game’s conclusion.
The interaction occurred late in the contest while Dallas was preparing to shoot a free throw. Edwards was standing just beyond the 3-point line with his hands on his knees when Doncic sidled up to him and leaned in close to tell him something.
What did Doncic say to Edwards after Dallas’ third consecutive win to open the series? Here’s what to know about their interaction.
MORE: How many NBA teams have come back from 3-0 series deficits?
What did Luka Doncic say to Anthony Edwards?
Doncic was mum about his exact words to Edwards following the game when queried about them by TNT reporter Allie LaForce.
“At the end of the game, what were you saying to Anthony Edwards?” LaForce asked Doncic on the broadcast.
“I can’t say,” he replied.
“It’s not TV appropriate?” LaForce countered.
“No, no, no,” Doncic answered.
Reporter: “At the end of the game, what were you saying to Anthony Edwards?”
Luka Doncic: “I can’t say.” 😅pic.twitter.com/RLoFa2lCmN
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 27, 2024
MORE: Anthony Edwards makes highlight-reel dunk over Daniel Gafford in Game 3
Barring a surprise reveal before Tuesday’s Game 4, it seems unlikely that NBA fans will be clued in about what Doncic said. Edwards seemed unbothered by the trash talk, but perhaps he will use it as motivation as he looks to lead the Timberwolves back from a 3-0 series deficit — something that has never before been done in the NBA.
Edwards’ approach to accomplishing that? Positive thinking.
“We can’t do nothing but be positive at this point. We can’t be negative. Just try to get it one win at a time,” Edwards told reporters after the gme. “I never seen the sky falling. I don’t know, I’m always positive, always happy. I’ve been through the worst, so the sky is never falling for me.”
Meanwhile, Doncic isn’t falling into the trap of believing the series is over.
“I don’t know what to say, but it feels great,” Doncic said when asked about going up 3-0 in the series. “We gotta think about [the] next game. We gotta play with the same mentality. They’re not gonna go away. No way. So, we need to prepare for the next game.”
