Stephen A. REVEALS PREDICTION for Mavericks vs. Timberwolves! Mad Dog DISAGREES?! 🔥 | First Take

Stephen A. REVEALS PREDICTION for Mavericks vs. Timberwolves! Mad Dog DISAGREES?! 🔥 | First Take

a is looking to bring a title to the Timberwolves for the first time in franchise history ESP and vet has this series favored slightly towards the t-wolves who are the second favorites to win the championship behind the Celtics Minnesota won the regular season series 3 to one but Kyrie Irving didn’t play in the three losses and Luca donic was out for two of them all right uh essay who do you have representing the West in the NBA Finals right now I would have to me personally I want to give the edge to the Minnesota wolves um I think their defense um at times has been Sensational unlike anything that I’ve seen in the last 30 years Austin that’s where I’m coming from with it I I look at game two of that first half against Denver I look at the third quarter the second half in game seven in Denver I saw these brothers look like piranhas for crying out loud they were all over the place now I know the greatness of Kyrie Irving he’s going to be somebody that I’m keeping my eyes on because I can’t say enough about theob that Kyrie Irving has done this year he’s looked absolutely Sensational and it’s not like you know in terms of his averages or anything like that he’s been a leader doggy and he’s been one of those dudes that’s been on the court okay here PJ Washington let’s get you going here Derek Jones let’s get you going him and Luca throwing Ali oops and all of this other stuff here you go Luca get your stuff going I know you hurt I know you don’t feel well right now work through it do what you got to do here’s the ball oh I only got two or four points in the first half they got a lead let me let let me end this let me end this drama right now give me the damn ball it’s time for me to take over this is what Kyrie Irving has done and by the way he’s been playing defense as well exceptional defense and we got to give credit where creditors do so we can’t ignore what he and Luca can bring to the table especially since Luca averaged about 35 against Minnesota this year he’s big at 67 he’s strong Chris Paul CP3 was telling us that last night he’s so much stronger than people realize all of those things are going to be needed against Minnesota my de with Minnesota is that what you’ve seen Dallas do against the other teams particularly a guy like Gafford who I think has been a welcomed addition to the squad along with PJ Washington balling the way that he has been balling I’m looking at Minnesota and Minnesota has size at every single position other than the point guard spot with Mike connley Jr and then I’m looking at the Steady Hand that he is some of the plays that he was making some of the clutch shots that he was making and I just say to myself defensively that’s going to determine this series and as good as Dallas has been defensively because Jason kids got them playing some defense I’m going to repeat what I said earlier there have been moments in these playoffs I haven’t seen anybody play defense like I saw Minnesota play defense in 30 years and if Kyrie the ultimate finisher at the basket for a small guy I’m just looking at those trees in Minnesota and I’m saying to myself okay how’s that going to be in this particular series I don’t know Dallas is no joke wouldn’t surprise me if they won but if I got to pick between the two right now I’m of the mindset that it’s Minnesota well I tell you Steve’s got the Timberwolves out to be the 89 Pistons can we take it easy with their defense for crying out loud uh their defense is pretty I understand I mean this is a guy am am I wrong do he is Austin I did this two weeks ago they Minnesota won game one they’re going to win a championship last Wednesday they were down 3-2 he had Denver winning a Championship because that was before game six you just lied you just lied to the American public just Li not he last he loved that last up 32 in that series first of all I had them winning the championship after game two not game one because I talked about their defense in game two that’s same number two and number two I said I was going down with the ship even after they had lost three straight I picked Minnesota to win the we have it on tape and then he got a little gun shy but he did stick with Minnesota I got I got got to be fair here he gotes and now he loves him again listen it’s the dead even series I’m not going to we know that this is I’m going to take Dallas and I’m going to take Dallas because I don’t know if that’s going to bother donit what Minnesota does defensively because he’s all about physicality how you pronounce his name donic donic it is the best that you I love that you don’t you don’t know any well leg leg was telling me this yesterday on the radio made a great point he says speed the physicality is not going to but he’s so big and strong he’s going to get a shot off anytime he wants anyway the the way Minnesota plays defense this is what legler said he’s the expert Austin him too didn’t think it was going to hurt donit at all in this series and here’s another reason why I like him they got two scorers when they have to have that second basket and somebody has to break down as he did against Oklahoma City sat night you know Kyrie can put the ball in the basket we saw him win a championship in game seven in Golden State who if it if Anthony ever is a little off now he was off the other night six for 24 and he still won but if you get down to those last five minutes who are you going to count on call Anthony towns to make a three Nas Reed I like the Denver I like Dallas’s two guards when games get tight okay to find a way to score so I’m going to now it’s close I’ll take him in your thoughts on that oh I’m I’m taking Minnesota absolutely oh you are yeah absolutely uh for one speed does not speed up LCA but but length does um that doesn’t speed him up but it challenges him wait say that again I miss it speed doesn’t him but length can definitely affect him um Jen McDaniels guards luuka donish better than anybody in the NBA it’s like I think it’s almost like a proven stat he guards him better than anybody else in the NBA that’s going to be his sole assignment ant and N Alexander are going to take turns switching off on guardan Kyrie not an easy assignment they have sze at The Rim they got Rim protection they got good on the ball perimeter defense and they have the number one overall defense in the NBA Dallas is a non- defending team they’re playing better defense right now obviously it’s a playoffs you hope uh but if we’re talking about a seven game series of which team I have more confidence in and I have to go to the team that plays on both sides of the ball uh to to piggy back on that depth is a problem we you just alluded to it he was six for 24 in a game seven versus the best team in the NBA and they won and they won that game because Nas Reed can hit the open three Sixth Man of the Year Michael connley is a a proven vet who can score and hit big shots uh Niki Alexander is a non- talked about role player who has a huge impact on their team they have guy after guy after guy after guy who can step up and make plays pass pass swing pass they went from good pass to better pass good shot to great shot that’s growth from a young team and from your young best player as a star I have them winning the series for sure yeah six games six well listen list listen I got to tell you something right now I it’s been a long time since I’ve looked as is forward to a series this much I mean Ant-Man and the spectacular talent that he has shown himself to be along with you know the bravado that comes with it because I I mean Austin you saw him doggy you saw him he wins game seven in Denver by the way they won games one two and seven in Denver beat the reigning defending NBA champions three times on their home court in a series that’s something that that we can’t sneeze at but to go out there and to ultimately win that game and then know you’re going up against Dallas next and what were his words oh yeah I got Kyrie I mean exactly that’s the guy you call out exactly and you know what this think about this you know when we talk about depth for each team Carl Anthony towns gets his fifth foul on any other team you’d be worried that your second best player is in foul trouble but no they keep pushing because why they got Nas Reed coming off the bench now if the same situ situation happened for Dallas and their second best player Kyrie Irving got hurt you’re in trouble okay they’re a little bit more vulnerable they’re vulnerable from from the depth standpoint they’re we have to rely on PJ Washington uh Derrick Jones Jr again both of them have played fantastic in the playoffs shout out to both of those guys but these are guys who are in new roles in terms of being that counted on to perform at a high level not just on defense but offense Derrick Jones and PJ have to score the ball it can’t just be these two guards up top doing all the heavy lifting and it’s going to they’re going to have to rely on these guys because I’m telling you the defense that’s about to be played on them uh Luca they are going to force him to finish inside the basket they’re going to try to run him off the three they know he wants to go left and do a step back I I just remember the planning last year being in Minnesota when we played Dallas we played them very well particularly because Jaden guards Luca better than anybody else in the NBA it’ll be interesting to see the adjust made by Dallas well let’s look at it this way let’s say Luca and Anthony Edwards are a wash I think that’s fair to say okay yeah let’s say they’re a wash who is the next best player in this in in this it’s a good point Kyrie Irvin is the next best player I’m going to take the next best player but but the third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth is is is all all Minnesota probably right that that’s that’s that’s my thing that’s that’s fair yeah that’s fair now listen PJ Washington’s played really well he has he has great fourth quarter against Oakland City made his free throws makes threes you know and if you look at Denver’s offense I’m sorry Minnesota’s offense in the fourth quarter the other day in game seven you know goar had like eight points he flipped up a three-point shot that is out of nowhere he made his he made his free throws and Nas Reed made a huge three and Nas Reed made big baskets in the earlier game in Denver is he going to do that again with the money on the line in the big spot he going to sit out there and he’s going to score 12 to 14 points if they’re not getting in from Anthony Edwards and and you know let’s say Luca and River score ler and um Kye score yeah get you in there score 60 points can we can we assume 60 55 to 60 points between the two of them Irving and Luca yeah okay there we’re GNA give call we we’re GNA give uh Anthony Edwards 30 right they gotta get those 30 extra points somewhere I think Nas Jaden McDaniels they got plenty of guys who can score the ball M averag like 20 versus Phoenix he was terrible in game it’s all matchups it’s all matchups so who’s going to be guarding Jaden in this series it’s going to be Luca you can’t put him on Ant you’re not going to put him on Michael Conley running around definely he’s end burning Jaden that’s what I’m saying he has a matchup that he could probably take advantage of possibly they can they can they could Garner points from somewhere else they got too they have way more depth than than than Dallas I will say this shot uh Kyrie and Luca donic are shot makers sometimes Minnesota is not Y and so what’s going to have to be consistent at least for four games that is is that defense defense there are times when Min I mean when Minnesota is hitting shots is something to behold because it inspires them it amps up their defense even more and we get that my issue is sometimes the JD McDaniels of the world the nas Reeds of the world and others ain’t hitting no shots and if that even Anthony Edwards to some degree ain’t hitting no shots and if that’s the case you know you better be able to rely on your defense because let me tell you something you gonna have to stop K with Kyrie and Luca this close to an NBA Finals birth you have to stop them they’re not going to stop them eles they’re coming and Minnesota had better be ready last word here no I said but that’s the point it’s the fact that if they aren’t making shots they have the ability to to at least rely on their defense plan they have a plan B whereas if if if if Dallas isn’t making shots the game is lost they’re not winning that game that’s my only concern with Dallas yeah more in the Arsenal when you’re talking about Minnesota Marin of era yeah uh Minnesota’s favored by four and a half points tonight that game is at 8:30 Eastern can’t wait he [Music]

On First Take, Stephen A. Smith, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo and Austin Rivers join Molly Qerim to talk through the Western Conference Finals.
0:00 Dallas Mavericks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
3:00 Mad Dog responds!
5:00 Austin Rivers’ predictions
8:00 Forcing Luka Doncic off the three

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