The Dallas Mavericks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 110–108 on Monday night in Dallas. A roof leak at AAC delayed the game by about twenty minutes, and both teams were unable to start the game as a result.
Neither team appeared to be able to throw the ball in the first quarter, but the Timberwolves were able to take a six-point lead with a crossover court pass. However, the Mavericks bounced back in the second quarter, scoring 37 points over that period and going into the break with a 60–54 lead.
The Mavericks seemed to be on the verge of breaking the game in the third quarter, taking a 16-point lead in just a few minutes. But they slowly allowed Minnesota back into the game and went into fourth place by just five points. By the end of the fourth quarter, the game turned into a stone fight. The Mavericks were successful, hitting several 3-pointers and doing well defensively when the Timberwolves had a chance to tie a couple of times with less than 10 seconds left.
Dwight Powell had one of his best games of the season and led the Mavericks in scoring with 22 points and eight rebounds. Luka Doncic scored a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists. Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 22 points and eight rebounds.
Here are three thoughts on the game:
Dallas dominated the paint
Despite the Mavericks facing the versatile 6-foot-11 big guy in Karl-Anthony Towns with undersized players like Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell, Dallas still dominated inside. They outscored Minnesota 48-38 in the paint. The Mavericks scored 17 of 19 in the restricted area and the Timberwolves scored 14 of 23. Overall, Dallas scored 24 of 32 in the paint. Minnesota only scored 19 out of 40.
Towns just didn’t affect the Mavericks in the paint. Jalen Brunson especially feasted, hitting 66 percent of lane shots. Luca also failed, probably due to the Timberwolves’ determination to wall off the paint and keep him on the perimeter. But it didn’t matter, because Powell went 8 for 8 in the restricted area, putting in one of his best games of the year. This helped him lead the team in scoring.
Mavericks are big, hard and patchy
Dallas is probably awkward to play against when they play defensively. They are large and long and remain active in defense. They lack the traditional big man, but guys like Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell make up for what they lack in size with speed and quick wit. Luca isn’t particularly athletic, but he’s big and knows where he should be on defense.
Wings like Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith are not reliable defenders, but again, they have a large wingspan and are aggressive. Brunson is not very big, but he is built like a fire hydrant and, like many guys on the team, has an incredible basketball IQ.
The Mavericks fought off the Timberwolves’ passes all night. They grabbed lost balls and fought for every rebound. Jason Kidd turned the Mavericks into a fighting team and it helped them win games this year.
Role Players Hit Three-Point Clutches When It Mattered
The last two seasons have been the story of how Luka posted monstrous numbers in losses because the role players around him couldn’t make 3-pointers when it mattered. This has happened less frequently this season, but still tends to plague the Mavericks in close games. Not tonight. Bullock and Finney-Smith shot well throughout the game, but especially in the fourth quarter. The pair teamed up to go 3 for 6 from deep in the fourth quarter. Both landed key shots late in the game.
When asked why the Mavericks have been so good in clutches lately, Kidd replied, “I don’t think anyone is panicking.” It’s true. The Mavericks seem to understand what it takes to win close games this year, something they’ve struggled with in the past. “Everyone understands what they have to do,” Kidd said. “Their mission is clear, their role is clear and they are doing their job and it’s interesting to see it from both sides, both offensively and defensively.”
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