- Volvo Cars cuts sales forecast on market headwinds
- South Africa 'shattered' by divorce of rugby star Kolisi
- Putin touts 'multipolar world order' at flagship BRICS summit
- Deutsche Bank profits boosted by legal settlements
- WHO says 'intense bombardment' halts Gaza polio vaccinations
- UK's Starmer plays down Trump team claims of interference
- Son of Singapore's founder granted asylum in UK
- Mehidy, Jaker take Bangladesh into lead over South Africa in Test
- Stocks mixed as rate cut bets are trimmed, US vote in focus
- Seven dead, thousands evacuated as tropical storm batters Philippines
- Pant fit for second Test as Gill gives India selection 'headache'
- S. Korean Olympic shooter Kim keeps cool over newfound fame
- UN chief in Russia for Putin's BRICS summit
- Markets mixed as rate cut bets are trimmed, US vote in focus
- US says 'now is the time' to end Gaza war
- Harris to face voters' queries in crucial Pennsylvania
- Mehidy fifty steers Bangladesh towards parity at 201-6
- King Charles arrives in Samoa, where Commonwealth looks to shed stodgy image
- Ohtani 50-50 baseball sells for record-breaking $4.39 million
- Morikawa says 'winning is tough' ahead of Japan title defence
- New Zealand's Bowes smashes record-breaking 103-ball double ton
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- Indian capital chokes as 'hazardous' air pollution returns
- Thousands flee homes as fierce tropical storm batters Philippines
- Tokyo Metro shares rocket on debut
- Israel says killed Nasrallah's apparent successor in Beirut strike
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- Los Angeles Dodgers baseball icon Fernando Valenzuela dead at 63
- Indian capital's 'hazardous' air pollution season starts
- King Charles visits Samoa, where Commonwealth looks to shed stodgy image
- Cattle disease wreaks havoc in Libya
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- Deyverson double gives Atletico upper hand over River Plate
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- Asian markets mixed as rate cut bets are trimmed; US vote in focus
- From Colombia's jungle to the world's fish tanks
- Celtics dominate Knicks to launch NBA title defense
- North Korean leader Kim inspects missile bases, ballistic weapons
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- King Charles winds up Australia trip, flies to Samoa summit
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- Judge orders Giuliani to hand over valuables in bankruptcy
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Mavericks crush Timberwolves to book Celtics NBA title showdown
The Dallas Mavericks, fueled by 36 points each from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, routed the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-103 on Thursday to clinch the Western Conference crown and book an NBA title showdown with the Boston Celtics.
Denied a sweep at home on Tuesday, the Mavs left no room for doubt in Minneapolis as they wrapped up the best-of-seven conference finals 4-1 to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since they won the title in 2011.
The Celtics will host game one of the championship series on June 6.
Slovenian star Doncic and Irving had their way with the league's top-rated defense, Doncic taking the game by the throat in the opening minutes.
"My mindset was: set the tone," said Doncic, who scored 20 points in a fast-paced first quarter, one more than the Timberwolves managed as a team.
He scored four of his six three-pointers in the first period, including a bomb from the center court logo, and the Mavs closed the quarter on a 17-1 scoring run to put the Timberwolves on their heels for good.
Irving got going with 15 points in the second quarter as he and Doncic combined for 44 first-half points -- four more than the Timberwolves put on the board before halftime, when the Mavs led 69-40.
Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns scored 28 points each for Minnesota, Towns adding 12 rebounds for the third-seed Timberwolves, who had swept the Phoenix Suns in the first round and stunned the defending champion Denver Nuggets in seven games in the second.
The Timberwolves had been 3-0 in elimination games this post-season, with wins in games six and seven against the Nuggets as well as their victory on Tuesday.
But the early damage by Doncic and Dallas' disruptive defense put this one out of reach early and the Mavs grabbed the first double-digit victory of a hard-fought series.
"Luka came out tonight and put his stamp on the game," Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. "Hit a couple of bomb threes, kind of got them loosened up offensively."
Dereck Lively returned for the Mavs after missing game four with a neck sprain suffered when Towns inadvertently kneed him in the back of the head in game three.
The energetic reserve went down hard again when he took a blow to the back of the head from Naz Reid, who was charged with a flagrant foul shortly before halftime.
He stayed in the game and finished with nine points.
Dallas are in the finals for the third time, chasing a second title to go with the one they captured back in 2011.
The Celtics, who swept the Indiana Pacers in four games in the Eastern Conference finals, share the record for most NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers at 17.
They're back in the title series for the second time in three years.
X.Karnes--AMWN