Kyrie Irving too hot for Anthony Edwards to handle as Dallas go 1-0 up against Minnesota

The Dallas Mavericks made the first move in their series with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, winning 108-105.

Kyrie Irving impressed at the Target Center, scoring 30 points to help Dallas go 1-0 up. Much of the talk before the series was how Anthony Edwards , Minnesota's main man, would handle Irving - an eight-time NBA All-Star and 32-year-old veteran.

The answer? Not as well as the 22-year-old would've liked. Speaking after Minnesota's Game 7 win against the Denver Nuggets, Edwards said how much he was looking forward to facing Irving. Edwards told TNT Sports: "My matchup's going to be Kyrie, so that's going to be fun. We're going to see what I can do versus him."

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Although Irving was in fine form at the Target Center, Edwards would've enjoyed the experience of testing himself against an NBA champion. The Timberwolves star will hope it puts him in good stead for their next meeting on Friday, again in Minnesota.

Luka Doncic was the leading points scorer on Wednesday with 33, leading the Mavericks' charge in the fourth quarter when they outscored the Timberwolves by four to take the win. Jaden McDaniels top scored for Minnesota (24), with Edwards contributing 19.

"He (Irving) got us going. Without him, we would probably be down 20 at halftime," Doncic said after Wednesday's game. "I had to help him in the second half a little bit. So we switched roles this time."

Doncic also spoke highly of McDaniels. He added: "He's an amazing player. We have to put multiple bodies on him. If he's going 1-on-1, it's kind of tough to stop him."

Irving is regarded among the NBA's old guard, along with the likes of Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James - none of whom are still in this year's playoffs. "I've been competing with those guys for so long and seeing them every year," Irving told ESPN . "It's been pretty much our generation running the Finals, the Eastern Conference finals, Western Conference finals.

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"(The shift has) just been quick. I don't want to say I know that those guys are looking at the light in the tunnel. I can't speak for them."

Yet he was full of praise for the league's next generation of players, such as Edwards and McDaniels, before Wednesday's contest. Irving added: "But to see this newer generation come in and to see how it's played out, I'm excited.

"It keeps me motivated and inspired to continue to lead my generation, because I was the youngest of that generation watching them... These young kids, they have no fear. When you have that much talent and you have no fear, the world is yours."