On Wednesday, the Dallas Mavericks concluded their four-game homestand with a fourth home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas. The Mavericks walked into the home game with a two-game winning streak, while the Timberwolves looked to snap a three-game losing skid after three losses in a row — and the Timberwolves’ wish was granted on Christmas day.
The Mavericks fell to the Timberwolves 105-99, despite the Christmas spirit from the home crowd. Dallas fell to 19-11, while Minnesota improved to 15-14. Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 39 points, four rebounds, and two assists. Luka Doncic followed up with 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists before exiting the game. Klay Thompson added 12 points, four rebounds, and one assist.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Recap
The Dallas Mavericks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game was action-packed from start to finish. The Mavericks ruled out Brandon Williams with a right thumb sprain and Dante Exum with right wrist surgery, while the Timberwolves ruled out Luka Garza with a left ankle sprain, Joe Ingles with a left soleus strain, and Daishen Nix with a sprained right ankle.
The Mavericks’ starting lineup consisted of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, PJ Washington Jr., and Dereck Lively II. The first quarter featured a back-and-forth battle between the Mavericks and Timberwolves, with the Timberwolves’ two 7-0 runs and the Mavericks’ 9-0 run to maintain a close game. Quentin Grimes seemed ice-cold from the North Pole with a three-pointer, but the Timberwolves led 26-24 at the end of the first.
The second quarter shifted in favor of the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards’ first-quarter three-point dominance continued, and Donte DiVincenzo was 3-4 from beyond the arc in the opening minutes. The Timberwolves built a commanding 57-40 halftime lead. Luka Doncic left the game with a non-contact injury, which was later diagnosed as a left calf strain, and didn’t return to the court.
The third quarter saw back-and-forth action between the Mavericks and Timberwolves, starting with the next-man-up mindset for the Dallas Mavericks with Spencer Dinwiddie in place of Luka Doncic and the Timberwolves’ 22-point lead in the opening minutes. Anthony Edwards’ three-pointer dominance contributed to the Timberwolves holding onto a commanding lead, 90-69, through three quarters.
The fourth quarter was historic, as Klay Thompson made NBA history, moved to fifth place with 2,561 made three-pointers, and passed Reggie Miller for the NBA’s all-time made three-pointers list. Thompson reportedly chose to wear No. 31 in Dallas to honor Miller, as Miller’s one of his professional basketball idols. The Mavericks used a 29-7 run to cut the Timberwolves’ lead to single digits but still trailed and lost 105-99 in regulation.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Highlights
The Dallas Mavericks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game featured many highlights, such as Luka Doncic meeting Tommy Marshall, a leukemia patient, and his family before Monday’s game. Marshall dreamt of meeting Doncic, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the Mavericks organization made Marshall’s dream a reality. Doncic gifted Marshall three pairs of his “Luka 2” sneakers and autographed a basketball. Kyrie Irving autographed two posters.
For the Mavericks, the Mavericks’ season of giving ended on Sunday. The Mavericks partnered with SCHEELS, a sporting goods chain store, and hosted a shopping spree for Dallas-area families in need this holiday season. SCHEELS worked with Christian Community Action (CCA), a Denton County, Texas non-profit, to select four families to receive $500 store gift cards for each family member. A total of $7,500 in cash was distributed.
And, for the Timberwolves, the Timberwolves’ annual holiday shopping event at the Target in downtown Minneapolis in partnership with A Mother’s Love, a non-profit dedicated to supporting children and families affected by violence, late last month. Timberwolves players were paired with children. Each child shopped with a player and received a $1,000 gift card from Target to buy the items on their wish list.
Final Thoughts
The Dallas Mavericks blew out the Portland Trail Blazers, 132-108, at the American Airlines Center on Monday. The Mavericks reportedly didn’t want to put themselves behind unfavorable positions requiring passing through plenty of teams for playoff positioning. The Mavericks ended up punishing the Trail Blazers in Luka Doncic’s return. Doncic returned to the court after missing two games with a left heel contusion.
Luka Doncic’s return was imminent, but the Mavericks’ focus remained high in Monday’s game against the Trail Blazers. The Mavericks were in a stretch where they couldn’t afford any slippage, even though they were heavily favored to win as 9.5 favorites. Also, the Mavericks’ consistency has represented a sample of dependability in an unpredictable business, as Dallas walked away winners with a stable starting lineup vs. Portland.
The Dallas Mavericks will travel to Phoenix, Arizona, to take on the Phoenix Suns at the Footprint Center on Friday at 7:00 p.m. Mountain. The Suns previously played in a home-and-home series against the Denver Nuggets, with an away game on Monday and a home game on Wednesday. The Suns’ additions of Tyus Jones and Ryan Dunn have helped them to an extent this season.
