DALLAS (AP) — Kyrie Irving screamed at the crowd, then turned and grabbed Luka Doncic in a bear hug after the play that clinched a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals for Dallas.

The co-stars — and fourth-quarter closers — for the Mavericks have been at it all series against the Minnesota https://halftimenews.co.uk/wp-admin/post-new.phpT, perhaps providing lessons in the first trip deep in the playoffs for Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Dallas’ 116-107 victory in Game 3 ended with a 14-3 run by the Mavericks, who with a win Tuesday night at home can advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since the franchise won its only championship 13 years ago.

“I feel like we’re both born for this, if you ask me,” Irving said after being told Doncic believed his running mate was born for clutch situations. “Down the stretch, that’s where we make our money, man. We’re finishing clutch games. We’re showcasing our skill sets out there.”

No team in NBA history has rallied from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs. Of the 20 teams that lost the first three while opening the series at home, 15 were swept. Three made it past five games.

“It stays in the belief department right now,” Wolves guard Mike Conley said at the team hotel Monday. “Mentally, believing, just one game. Get one. Bring it back to Minnesota and give ourselves a chance in this series. Just don’t let go of the rope.”

The wide gap in the series score is best reflected in the differences between Doncic-Irving and Edwards-Towns, particularly late.

In the fourth quarter Sunday night, Doncic and Irving combined for 21 points, making eight of 10 shots and both 3-pointers (one each).

Edwards had the only four points for the Minnesota tandem, with Towns missing all four of his shots while his overall shooting rate for the series stayed at 28%, where it was after two games.