Mavericks stand tall against Timberwolves with big effort around the rim

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Few teams can match the size of the Minnesota Timberwolves with their trio of towers in NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns and Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid.

The revamped Dallas Mavericks showed they might just be able to stand tall against Minnesota.

Dereck Lively II, the 7-foot-1 rookie Dallas acquired on draft night after he was selected 12th overall, and 6-10 Daniel Gafford, who was a trade-deadline pickup in February, had a sizeable impact around the rim Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, a 108-105 victory for the Mavericks.

“If anything, with our team and our defense, the way that we’re built, the length and size that we have, we can’t allow points in the paint,” Towns said. “Our biggest advantage in the league is the three-big lineup that we have. We can’t allow that. So we've got to be tougher in there.”

With Lively leading the way off the bench, Dallas’ center duo altered the game with its rim protection and rebounding. The Mavericks outrebounded the Timberwolves 48-40, had eight blocks and held a 62-38 advantage on points in the paint.

“When you have that many points in the paint against the No. 1 team defensively, we’ll take it, if that’s what you’re going to give us,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said.

Lively finished with nine points and 11 rebounds, including four offensive boards, to go with two blocks. Gafford added nine rebounds, with four on the offensive end.

“I've got to do a better job on the rebounds,” said Gobert, who had just seven rebounds. “I can’t let these guys just get offensive rebounds. I’ll be better.”

With Lively and Gafford inside, Minnesota didn’t try to attack the paint. The Timberwolves took 49 of their 89 shots from 3-point territory. Towns finished 6-of-20 shooting, including 2 of 9 from 3.

Wolves star Anthony Edwards, who bullied his way to the rim at many points during the first two playoff series, also settled to shoot from the outside.

Twelve of Edwards’ 16 shots were from 3. He ended up 6 of 16 for the game and 5 of 12 from deep while scoring 19 points. Gafford and Lively sank close to the basket — as opposed to Phoenix’s Jusuf Nurkic and Denver’s Nikola Jokic staying a bit higher — and that threw off the precocious 21-year-old.

“They’re down the floor. The big man, he’s not super high up like the last two series,” Edwards said. “We didn’t really know what to expect. So, came off and was open a bunch of times, took the shots. I’ll make them next time and live with it.”

So will the Mavericks.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Dallas Mavericks forward Derrick Jones Jr. (55) scores over Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) and center Naz Reid (11) during Game 1 of the NBA basketball Western Conference finals, Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) is fouled by Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) as he drives to the basket during Game 1 of the NBA basketball Western Conference finals, Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards goes up for a shot as Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington, right, defends during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA basketball Western Conference finals, Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) reaches for a rebound against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, left, and center Naz Reid (11) during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA basketball Western Conference finals, Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II, left, reaches for a rebound between Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson, bottom, and guard Anthony Edwards (5) during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA basketball Western Conference finals, Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — Jude Bellingham is the star of Kim Kardashian’s male underwear range, England icon David Beckham mimics his trademark goal celebration, and a Beatles classic has become his anthem as adoring fans serenade him with “Hey Jude” when he’s on the field.

Bellingham, it seems, can do no wrong.

No surprise then that he was the player to get England off to a winning start at the European Championship with a first-half goal to beat Serbia 1-0 in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.

“Every game I feel like I can make an impact, I feel like I can decide games,” the Real Madrid star said. "I really enjoy playing football so when I go out there, I play with a fearlessness because I love doing it so much. It is a release for me."

Wearing the No. 10 jersey once adorned by Wayne Rooney, the midfielder stooped to head in Bukayo Saka’s cross in the 13th minute. Bellingham raced away, arms outstretched in a pose Madrid fans have grown to love and Beckham has replicated on social media in tribute to a player who doesn't turn 21 until later this month.

Bellingham has already done his talking on the field after a spectacular debut season at Madrid where he scored 23 goals, won the Spanish title and the Champions League.

He is also making a splash off of it.

Like Beckham, his appeal goes far beyond soccer. Presumably that was what Kardashian knew after Bellingham was chosen to front the menswear range of her SKIMS underwear. He's also the star of an advertising campaign for sportswear giant Adidas, which also features Beckham, who is just another of Bellingham's many fans.

So much, so soon for someone so young could be seen as a cause for concern.

But Bellingham is not your average player.

“He writes his own script,” England manager Gareth Southgate said.

Bellingham's goal was enough to send England to the top of Group C after Denmark drew 1-1 with Slovenia in an earlier game, with Christian Eriksen scoring three years after suffering a cardiac arrest on the field at the last Euros.

Harry Kane so nearly extended the lead in the second half when Serbia goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic pushed his far post header onto the underside of the bar.

England plays Denmark in Frankfurt on Thursday.

England was a beaten finalist at the last Euros, losing on penalties to Italy in the final three years ago. It is one of the favorites this time around. Serbia is playing in the Euros for the first time since 2000.

The buildup to the game had been overshadowed by concerns about violence between rival supporters. And some of those fears were realized when police rushed to separate brawling fans in Gelsenkirchen earlier in the day.

Social media footage showed men throwing chairs at each other outside a restaurant festooned with Serbian flags in the city.

England fans were soon celebrating once the game got underway after Bellingham’s decisive moment.

And he's got no problem with the song supporters have attached to him.

“I listen to the Beatles a lot. My style of music is a bit old so that is right up my street,” he said.

Over in Hamburg, Dutch fans were also partying and turned the city into a sea of orange. The Netherlands secured a come-from-behind 2-1 win against Poland in Group D thanks to Wout Weghorst’s late goal.

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024

England's Harry Kane shakes hands with Serbia's Milos Veljkovic at the end of a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Serbia's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Milos Veljkovic applaud fans during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

England's manager Gareth Southgate looks up prior to a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (Bernd Thissen/dpa via AP)

England's Jude Bellingham gets a hug from England's manager Gareth Southgate after being substituted during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

England's Harry Kane runs for the ball during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

England's Harry Kane, left, grimaces in pain after a challenge by Serbia's Nikola Milenkovic during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford celebrates at the end of a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

England's Harry Kane, right, saves a shot on goal during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

England's Jude Bellingham, left, celebrates with England's Trent Alexander-Arnold after scoring the opening goal during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Fans celebrate England's first goal of the game, scored by Jude Bellingham, at the 4theFans Central Park in Brighton, England, Sunday, June 16, 2024 during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)

England's Jude Bellingham (10) scores on a header during the first half in a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Monday, June 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

England's Jude Bellingham, right, scores the opening goal during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

England's Jude Bellingham, front, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Serbia fans cheer during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

England's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring the opening goal during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)