DALLAS — Three down. Win to go.
The Dallas Mavericks are on the doorstep of their third NBA Finals appearance in franchise history.
They can kick that door down on Tuesday night in Dallas.
The Mavs hold a dominant 3-0 series lead on the Minnesota Timberwolves heading into Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.
MFFL's would love nothing more than to break out the broomsticks and sweep away the T-Wolves.
Here are a few things to watch for going into WCF Game 4:
1. Go big or go small
Mavericks rookie center Dereck Lively II (neck sprain) is listed as doubtful for Game 4. One of the Mavs' key role players this season left Game 3 in the second quarter after he was inadvertently kneed in the back of the head by Wolves big man Karl Anthony-Towns.
Lively's absence was felt, as the T-Wolves dropped 35 points in the third quarter. The Mavs sorely missed his rebounding, rim protection and alley-oop dunks.
During the regular season, the Mavs went 35-20 with Lively in the lineup and averaged 119 points per game.
Without him, they went 15-12 and averaged 115 ppg.
Dallas still prevailed in Game 3 thanks to some ugly shooting by Minnesota (20 points in the fourth quarter), but the Mavs rely heavily on the 20-year-old out of Duke.
If Lively is unable to go, the Mavs have a few options regarding their lineup and rotations.
They could lean more on Dwight Powell, the veteran big man who played nine minutes off the bench in Game 3.
Or, they could play small ball – like they did much of Game 3 – and use Josh Green or Jaden Hardy to supplement the minutes lost by Lively.
Or... they could get Maxi Kleber (AC joint separation) back in the lineup.
The Mavericks forward is listed as questionable for Game 4. Kleber has missed the last nine games, after suffering a shoulder injury in Game 6 of the Mavs' first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Given the Mavericks 3-0 series lead, it stands to reason they'll play it safe with Lively.
Head coach Jason Kidd deserves a ton of credit for leading the Mavs to this point. Let's see what he has planned for the lineup in Game 4.
2. Closeout Kyrie
In his 13-year NBA career, Kyrie Irving has never lost a closeout game in a playoff series. Never.
He is 14-0 when his team has a chance to eliminate the other. 14-0.
At some point, the sample size is not just a coincidence.
Irving has elevated his play in the Western Conference Finals, after a streaky first two rounds of the playoffs.
If he can go 15-0 in closeout games, the Mavs are going to the NBA Finals.
3. Luka Legend
Luka Doncic has been one of the top basketball players in the world since he was 19.
Now 25, Doncic has been to five All-Star Games (started in four of them) and he's been named 1st Team All-NBA five times.
While he's been overlooked for the MVP Award in favor of Nikola Jokic, Doncic has as much claim to the title of Best Basketball Player on the Planet as his Serbian buddy.
However, Jokic has him beat in the one category they care most about: championships.
The Denver Nuggets won it all last year. And thanks to the Timberwolves, the Mavs didn't have to face the reigning champs in the Western Conference Finals.
Now all that stands in Luka's way of fortifying his place in basketball lore are five victories: one vs. Minnesota and four vs. Boston.
But, you can't climb two mountains at once. There is still a West title to be won.
As Kobe famously said, "Job's not finished."