The wait is over; the Western Conference finals kick off soon. The Dallas Mavericks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves series begins on Wednesday. Both teams have had a spectacular run this season, the Mavs’ explosive trio; Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, and PJ Washington have proven to be a formidable force. Dallas has advanced to this crucial point and is set for a much-anticipated face-off with Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns of the Wolves.

Minnesota finished as the Western Conference’s third seed and Dallas as the fifth. As fans gear up for this exciting rivalry, let’s look at the stats of both the explosive rosters.

Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, PJ Washington stats vs Minnesota Timberwolves

Kyrie Irving has had an exceptional year. In his first season with the Mavericks, he has averaged 25.6 points, 5 rebounds and 5.2 assists. With his standout playmaking ability, he had a field goal percentage of 49.7. While this is his first time playing against the Wolves in the playoffs, here are his numbers against them since 2012. (18 games)

Over the years, he’s also managed to convert 91.5% of his free throws against Ant-Man and Co. Kai’s standout performance against Minnesota this season was his 35-point outburst in their most recent regular-season encounter. On the night, he also contributed with 5 rebounds and 7 assists to help the Mavs clinch a close game.

Meanwhile, the league’s favorite Luka Doncic has reached a new high this season. He averaged 33.9 points and 9.8 assists, along with 9.2 rebounds. He has played 15 regular season games against the Wolves since he joined the NBA.

In addition, he shot 44.1% from the field, and 73.4% from the free throw line. His highest-scoring match against Minnesota was in December last year where he clocked in with 39 points, 6 rebounds, and 13 assists in a lost cause.

PJ Washington, one of the Mavs’ key components, has averaged 12.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists. His contribution from the field has been 43.7%. He has faced off against Minnesota in 9 games to date. Notably, all of them happened while he plied his trade at the Hornets.

His best game was in 2023 and he contributed 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 assist in his 35-minute stint.

The Mavs trio’s stats look promising. While they’re familiar with each other on-court, this is the first time the Mavs and Wolves face off in the WCF. In fact, Ant-Man and Co. have never made it to the finals before this. Let’s look at their numbers from another perspective.

Dallas Mavericks vs Minnesota Timberwolves stats

Minnesota defeated Dallas 3-1 in the regular season series. However, those games don’t accurately represent their current situations. Kai appeared in just one of those games, while Luka only participated in two. Their sole victory was when both of them were on the court. The Mavs in the Conference finals are a very different team than during the regular season.

Top-notch defensive performances can be expected going into the finals. In the regular season, Dallas recorded the best defensive rating. However, over the last 20 games, Minnesota seems to have overtaken them.

Either side has demonstrated their ability to slow down opponents and manage the pace. A key component of the Timberwolves’ defense has also been their ability to guard the paint. Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Naz Reid make Minnesota a formidable opponent for Dallas.

Irving and Doncic will have to work through this strong interior and find a footing for Derrick Jones Jr., Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively II. On the other hand, their defense needs to be rock-solid to soften Anthony Edwards’ blows too.

Well, this series is bound to be heated, and the fanbases cannot wait. Tune into Game 1 on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. CST, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.