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'Mavs going to the Finals!' - Fans react as Dallas Mavericks beat Minnesota Timberwolves, take 3-0 lead in Finals

Basketball: Dallas Mavericks defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-107 on Sunday night, giving them a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals.

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Varun Sarwate
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Dallas Mavericks (Source: Getty Images)

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Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving each scored 33 points, and the Dallas Mavericks made all the crucial plays late to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-107 on Sunday night, giving them a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals.

Dallas Mavericks are within one win of making their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2011, the year they won the team's lone championship. Irving hit 12 of 20 shots and 3 of 6 from long range.

Dallas Mavericks went on a 12-3 run to win their sixth consecutive playoff game after rookie center Dereck Lively II departed with a sprained neck after absorbing an unintentional hit to the back of the head from Karl-Anthony Towns' knee. Dereck Lively II stayed on the floor, holding his head after it snapped forward due to the accidental hit. Lively lay down for many minutes before being assisted off the floor and into the locker room.

With 34 seconds remaining, after Gafford had blocked Mike Conley Jr. attempt at a layup at the opposite end, Doncic found Daniel Gafford for an alley-oop slam that gave the team a 113-105 lead. Irving then enthralled the audience with a falling-down jumper. Doncic then made a shot in the lane to take a four-point lead. 

Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II are important player for Dallas Mavericks

After Minnesota scored eight straight baskets to tie the Wolves in the third quarter, Anthony Edwards finished with just four points for the Wolves. Towns had 14 points but missed all eight of his three-pointers, one of which came with 1:25 left in the game and the deficit at four points. 

Daniel Gafford, the starting center, and Lively, 20, both contributed significantly to Dallas 2-0 advantage. In the series, Lively is 12 of 12 from the field, with three makes in Game 3. A team has never fought back from a 3-0 deficit in an NBA playoff game. Dallas hosts Game 4 on Tuesday night.

Here are twitter reaction to the news:

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