The Minnesota Timberwolves could likely use a holiday break to address the numerous issues that have contributed to their disappointing 14-14 start. However, instead of taking time off, the Wolves are set to play in front of a national TV audience on Wednesday when they visit the surging Dallas Mavericks.
On Monday, Minnesota dropped its third straight game in a 117-104 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. The Wolves will look to regroup against the Mavericks, who defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 132-108 for their 14th win in their last 17 games.
Minnesota has struggled offensively, failing to score 110 points in regulation in 14 consecutive games. Monday’s loss to Atlanta saw the Wolves fall behind early, trailing 27-9 at the start and never recovering. Naz Reid scored 23 points off the bench, while Julius Randle added 19 points and 13 rebounds.
Despite having proven scorers like Anthony Edwards and Randle, the Wolves rank 23rd in the NBA with an average of 109.3 points per game. Following Monday’s loss, Randle was asked about how the Wolves could improve on offense.
The Wolves are aiming to avenge a 120-114 home loss to Dallas from earlier in the season on Oct. 29, where Edwards scored 37 points for Minnesota and Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 35 points.
While Minnesota has been underperforming, Dallas is currently in fourth place in the Western Conference and boasts a 10-4 home record this season. Dallas star Luka Doncic returned on Monday after missing two games with a left heel contusion and scored 27 points in the win over Portland. Doncic is averaging 24.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.4 assists in 16 career games against Minnesota.
The Mavericks also received a spark from center Daniel Gafford, who finished with 23 points off the bench on 7-of-7 shooting from the field and 9-of-14 from the foul line. Additionally, Dallas guard Klay Thompson is just two 3-pointers away from passing Reggie Miller (2,560) for fifth on the NBA’s all-time career 3-pointers list.
This matchup promises to be an exciting one as both teams look to make a statement in front of a national audience.
