Timberwolves turn back a final push, overcome shorthanded Mavericks

Chris Hine, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Jan 22, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

DALLAS – If there was ever a time for the Minnesota Timberwolves to face the Dallas Mavericks on the road, it was Wednesday. Luka Doncic was still out because of a calf injury he suffered when the teams last met on Christmas Day. Center Dereck Lively II is also out for multiple months because of a foot injury. Klay Thompson was also watching from the bench because of an ankle sprain.

The Wolves were down Donte DiVincenzo (toe sprain) but had the rest of their roster available to stop a two-game slide.

The Wolves gutted out a 115-114 victory after building a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and hanging on down the stretch. The Wolves couldn’t secure rebounds in the final minutes and allowed Dallas to cut their lead to 112-111 with 22.3 seconds to play.

The Wolves opened the fourth by extending their four-point lead to 12 on a 13-5 run that featured a pair of 3-pointers from Naz Reid and another from Nickeil Alexander-Walker. But after some frustrations with the officiating — Reid drew a technical in the fourth quarter — Dallas cut the lead to 101-100 before a 5-0 Wolves run. The Wolves got a pair of offensive rebounds on one possession before Edwards ended it with a layup.

On a night Edwards was inefficient (6 for 19, 21 points) the Wolves got a needed lift from Jaden McDaniels and Mike Conley. McDaniels stuffed the stat sheet with 26 points, eight rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Conley played one of his best games of the season with 18 points, eight assists, five rebounds.

Offense hard to come by early

The Wolves’ starting lineup again had a rough beginning offensively as it opened 1 for 6. The Wolves’ saving grace was an 8 for 9 start from the free-throw line in the first. But that quick whistle from the officials had a flip side — the refs called fouls early and often on the Wolves. Dallas was in the penalty less than six minutes into the first, and McDaniels was on the bench in foul trouble.

The shorthanded Mavericks also couldn’t score, and a sleepy first quarter ended with the Wolves trailing 22-17. They were 4 for 16 in the quarter.

Bench gets some life

After Dallas had an 11-0 run toward the end of the first quarter, a blended Wolves lineup finally got some offense going in the second quarter. McDaniels got out in transition multiple times for 11 first-half points while Reid had six off the bench in a 12-4 Wolves spurt that gave them a 40-38 lead and forced a Dallas timeout with 5:23 to play. The Wolves were 13 for 21 in the second quarter after shaking off the first-quarter rust, but Dallas also picked it up offensively in the second behind 16 points from P.J. Washington. The Mavericks shot 50% in the first half. Finch had said that when DiVincenzo went out they likely would have to extend the rotation to nine players, but he ended up playing only eight in the first half, and the eighth, Rob Dillingham, played only seven mintues. Edwards was 1 for 6 in the first half.

Conley, Irving cook in third

The Mavericks made it a point to attack Conely on the defensive end of the floor, and Conley had an uneven night in that department. But he was having one of his best nights on offense, especially in the third, when he put up eight points. Through three quarters, Conley was 6 for 6 from the floor to go with seven assists and four rebounds.

The Wolves clung to an 86-82 lead after committing four turnovers in the third. They had just three in the first half. Kyrie Irving had 12 in the quarter for Dallas after shooting 5 for 7. He was 3 for 5 in the first half.

____