Minnesota Timberwolves 124 vs 121 Dallas Mavericks summary: stats and highlights | NBA
The Minnesota Timberwolves went into Dallas and rained on the Mavericks parade at the American Airlines Center. Anthony Edwards led the T’Wolves with 32 points in the 124-121 victory in Big D.
Kyrie debuts in Dallas
The anticipation couldn’t have been higher around the arena as Dallas fans got their first in-person look at Kyrie Irving after the blockbuster trade that united one of the best point guards in the league with an MVP candidate in Luka Doncic.
Doncic missed four games with a heel injury, and came back in the Mavs final game of a five game road swing, but his return to Dallas only added to the excitement on Monday night.
The Timberwolves weren’t to concerned with the Western Confercene’s newest Super Duo and they showed it from the start. Anthony Edwards got the visitors going early with 12 points in the first 12 minutes leading Minnesota to an early double digit lead.
Edwards gets a little help from his friends
With Karl-Anthony Towns sidelined with a calf injury, the T’Wolves were going to need some help with their role guys. Rudy Gobert and Minnesota dominated the paint especially in the first half. The French man ended his night with 21 points and 14 assists going a perfect 9-9 from the field.
The Dallas defense was got shredded all night, allowing easy bucket after easy bucket and eventually saw their deficit grow to 26 points as Jaden McDaniels and Kyle Anderson helped Edwards build a comfortable lead.
Dallas looked flat as Luka and Kyrie struggled to find a rhythm, but Irving exploded as soon as the fourth quarter started off scorching. He had 12 of the Mavs first 15 points in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter, and single handily carried Dallas back to life. The Minnesota lead was cut down to two points with under a minute to go in the game, and the Mavs had a chance to tie the game up on the final possession but a miscommunication between Irving and Doncic led to the shot clock winding down before Dallas could even get a shot off.
Kyrie’s fantastic fourth wasn’t enough
Irving ended the night with 36 points, 26 of those coming in a sensational fourth quarter and Doncic scored 33 but the it was too little to late for the Mavs who won’t play at home again until after the All-Star Break. The Timberwolves now pull to within a half game of Dallas, and a game back of the 4th placed Suns.
The T'Wolves win the tie breaker against the Mavs and that could come be big later in the season.
Kyrie tried to claw the Mavs back in the game with a 26 points 4th quarter. He pulled Dallas within two points and with under a minute to go, and the Mavs had a chance to tie it at the end of the game, but a miscommunication between Donicic and Iriving Dallas failing to even get up a shot.
Edwards stretched the lead out to a game high 26 points and it seemed like the Mavs were done and dusted in the third quarter.
Edwards had 12 first quarter points, and ended the game with 32 points. He was getting easy buckets in the lane all night.
Naz Reid is becoming one of the go to scorers on this team, getting promoted from a role player, and he showed you his handles on this jam.
Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves dominated the Mavs in the paint, scoring easy buckets and crusing Dallas on the battle of the boards.
With Karl Anthony-Towns sidelines, Anthony Edwards was going to need some help, and he got it early and often with Jaden McDaniels.
Luka couldn't handle the inbound and the Mavs ended up not even getting a shot up as the clock ran out!
Minnesota hold off a Mavs fourth quarter comeback bid
Mavs take a TO with 14.1 to go in the game! They have a chance to tie it up after being down 26 earlier in the half.
Conley is fouled with 15 seconds left and he hits one of two. DAL still has a chance.
Offensive rebound for DAL and Kyrie bangs home a three ball!!!
We are under a minute to go and McDaniels goes to the line after being fouled by Irving. He hits one of two with 46 seconds left
Luka got fouled by McDaniels and he hit both FTs!
Anderson getting back to the bucket and every time they have needed a bucket it seems like he has been there to deliver.
Three ball from Bullock and this crowd is going nuts in Dallas!
Edwards getting back to the bucket again and he can get that anytime he wants.
Triple try form the top of the horn for Luka!!! The lead is down to 5!!!
Offensive rebond for Kyrie Irving and he is willing this team back in the game.
Anderson hits a big shot out of the timeout to kill some of the energy around the stadium here in Dallas.
Irving drills the pull up jumper and the T'Wolves lead is under 10 for the first time in forever!
TO Minnesota with 4:10 to go in the fourth quarter!
Irving with the three ball, and he says "Not so fast" Ten point game again here in Dallas.
Edwards off the dribble and he drills the step back jumper.
Kyrie gets the floater to fly in heavy traffic.
McDaniels punishes the Mavs after the missed FTs with a three ball!!! That could be what kills the Mavs comeback hopes.
Green is fouled on the drive but he misses both FTs!
Green drives baseline and finishes of the glass. The lead is back to 10.
Anderson got tapped by Pinson on the floater, and he hits both at the line.
Irving with the floater and he's got 14 4th quarter points!!
Out of the timeout Edwards goes back at the rack and gets the lay up to go off the glass.
Kyrie has 12 of the 15 points for the Mavs in this 4th quarter!
Irving pulls up and drills a three ball to ignite this crowd!!! We hae a 10 point game with 8:51 to go and the T'Wolves need a TO.
Irivng following up the miss by Green and he gets the tip in to go.
Irving gets the floater to go, but it looks like he waited way too long to get aggressive.
Anderson with another short jumper to keep the Mavs at a distance.
Bullock got the long offensive rebound and pulled the trigger for three!
Gobert is fouled by Pinson and hits one after air balling a FTs.
Gogert gets the rebound off the Anderson miss and puts it back for more second chance points.
Irving this time with the baseline jumper!.
Anderson gets the floater to drop from the lane.
The fourth quarter is underway, and Irving starts things off with a drive, a lay up and 1! FT is good and that was a good way to begin the final quarter.
Doncic hits the short jumper from outside the lane and that's how the third quarter will end.
MIN is in control through three quarters, and are 12 minutes away from spoling the debut of Doncic and Irving in Dallas.
Reid on the alley oop off the Anderson assist.
Luka dropped a three ball, but Nowell answered right back with one of his own!
Nowell on the silky finish after the baseline drive and lay up on the reverse.
Luka with a drive down main street and the Mavs are getting easy buckets around the rim.
Offensive rebound by Anderson and he gets fouled by Irving to get to the line and get the T'Wolves some much needed points. Both FTs are good and the lead is back to 18.
Wood is fouled by Reid and he hits both FTs. The Mavs keep chipping away before the 4th quarter.
The T'Wolves take a TO with under three minutes to go in the third just to secure things up and making sure they don't give the Mavs a shot of life before the fourth quarter.
Wood fouled by Prince and he hits both FTs. The lead is under 20 for the first time in a long time.
Luka trying to will the Mavs back into this game, and he got fouled by Edwards, who picks up his third, and Doncic hits one of two. He has not been making his FTs tonight.
Wood with the easy deuce off the Doncic assist after the rebound off the missed Doncic FT.
Doncic got fouled on his way to the basket by Rivers and he hits one of two.
Doncic fouled by Edwards and he goes to the line and hits both FTs.
Doncic muscling his way to the bucket and finishing off the glass.
Doncic with a tough turn around fader, and that's not exactly the shot Dallas need to get back into this game but they'll take it.
Edwards comes out of the timeout and drills the long two with a foot on the line.
Gobert gets another easy slam, this time off the Prince assist.
DAL timeout with 6:11 to go in the third quarter.
Gobert gets another easy slam, this time off the Prince assist.
Irving answers back with a three ball and a rare roar from the AA Center crowd is heard around the arena.
Conley adding insult to injury with a WIDE OPEN three ball and the lead is the biggest it's been all night!
Prince on the pump fake and saw LUka fly bye him and then drilled the corner three!
Powell going to the line after the Gobert foul, and he hits one of two. DAL needs every freebee they can get down big in the third.
Kyrie driving and that frees up Powell for the open jam.
McDaniels gets the long rebound and gets fouled in transition. HE hits both FTs and it's a 22 point game in Dallas.
Gobert off the pick and roll and he slams it over Green and gets the foul! FT is good and the lead is up to 20!
Prince gets the lay up on the drive from the right side.
Irving gets the bucket to go off the pull up and got fouled! FT is good for the three point play.
McDaniels drills the three ball and the T'Wolves lead is up to 18 in Dallas!
Edwards continues his red hot night with a 20 foot jumper to start his second half account and it's the largest lead of the night.
WE ARE BACK IN PLAY FROM DALLAS!!!
Prince starts the third quarter with a 2 foot jumper and the lead is up to 13.
Edwards leads all scorers with 20 points on 7-12 shooting. He's done most of his damage in the paint like the rest of the Timberwolves.
Christian Wood leads all Mavs scorers with 18 points, but Luka and Iriving have to be better if Dallas is going to win this one.
Kyrie and the Mavs looked choppy in the first half. Nothing was working on the offensive end, and defensivley they were giving away too many easy buckets.
Gobert and the T'Wolves have dominated in the paint. They are 23-28 from inside the arc. The big man has 13 and 8 rebounds already.
McDaniles is perfect from the field and has a couple of offensive boards that led to 4 of his 15 points.
Wood drills a triple to bring the first half to a close and he's got 18 tonight!
Minnesota stretched their lead out to 14 on multiple occasions. They lead by 11 after two quarters.
Conley drops the three ball from the left corner off the assist from Prince!
Luka had Gobert one on one and drew the foul on the perimeter, and Doncic hits one of two FTs.
We are under a minute to go in the first half!
Wood to the line after the Gobert foul, and he strokes them both.
Edwards again! This time he hits it from the elbow and he's got 18 points in the first half.
Luka to the line after the Edwards foul and he hits both FTs.
Edwards drills a three ball out of the timeout and the T'Wolves lead by 14 which is the largest advantage of the night!
Edwards puts his head down and bullies his way through traffic getting the foul and the bucket! FT is good and the MIN lead is back to 11.
Conley in the corner off eh Gobert dish from the lane and that drops from behind the arc!
Powell skying for the alley oop lay up off the Doncic assist and the Mavs cut the lead to 5 looking to level up the game or take the lead before half.
Luka to the line and he hits both FTs after the Edwards foul.
McDaniels on the pull up jumper and he's starting to warm up here in Dallas.
We have a DAL timeout with 6:14 to go in the second quarter.
Wood stays hot, hitting the off balance shot off the glass.
Gobert found himself open down the lane after the Conley dish and the lead is back to 9.
McDaniels follows up the Nowell miss and gets the tip slam!
McDaniels with a jumper to stretch the lead back out to 5.
Gobert get an easy dunk, and we are seeing the T'Wolves exploit the paint like the Kings did in the Mavs last game.
Wood gets the lay up to go and gets fouled by Gobert! FT is good He's got the last 11 points for DAL
Reid gets back to the bucket for the T'Wolves and he gets the lay up to go.
Wood with the three from the top of the Key and the big man showing some range!
Rivers gets the Timberwolves back on the board with a drive to the bucket and the Mavs have been giving those up tonight.
Wood got fouled and had his shot goaltended, so he goes to the line and hits the three point play.
McLaughlin on a shifty drive to the bucket and gets the finish off the glass.
Wood gets the alley oop from Kyrie and that's his first assist of the game.
Pinson back in the corner and back on the scoresheet with another long ball!!!
Pinson in the corner for three and the Mavs need a little more of that.
Nowell drops the long two off the dribble to start the second quarter.
We are at the end of the first quarter, and the first 12 minutes were dominated by Anthony Edwards and the T'Wolves.
ANT had 12 point, while Luka had 10 to lead the Mavs.
Green slashing to the bucket and Wood found hi for the open lay up.
Reid drops a three ball after the MIN offensive rebound, and the lead is up to double digits.
Edwards splits the double team and eurosteps his way to the basket for his 8th straight point.
The T'Wolves take a TO with 2:18 to go in the first quarter.
Edwards in take over mode early on, and he was fouled by Pinson. Both FT's are good and ANT is already in double digits.
Edwards going back to the bucket again and he gets the lay up to go.
Hardy off the bench on driving down the baseline on the double clutch lay up.
Edwards getting back to the rack all too easy for the Mavs liking and he drops the finger roll.
Luka was fouled by Reid and he drills two of two at the line.
Reid with the cross over and the take to the bucket! Gets the foul and the bucket! Sick move from the lengthy perimeter player and the FT is good.
Gobert puts his head down and gets the lay up off the drive and gets fouled! FT is no good from the Frenchman.
Irving gets the back door feed from Doncic and there's some of that chemistry that Mavs fans are looking for.
Edwards fouled by Doncic and he goes to the line drilling both.
Doncic backing his defender down and he gets the bucket and the foul! FT is no good, but the Mavs are on an 8-2 run.
Gobert follows up the Edwards miss and gets the tip in out of the timeout.
Luka with back to back buckets and that's going to force the T'Wolves to take a timeout with 6:01 to go in the first quarter.
Doncic gets the off balance floater down the lane and he's getting going early.
Green drills the baseline jumper from a couple steps inside the arc.
Gobert with the slam off the Conley alley-oop
Irving hits the FT line jumper with a Gobert hand in his face for his first points of the game.
Edwards annonces himself into this game with a drive down the lane and a lay up at the rack.
Gobert gets the hook to go in the paint and gets the foul! FT is good and the T'Wolves lead by four.
DOncic gets on the scoreboard with a lay up as he holds defenders off with his big frame.
McDaniels in transition and he hits the short jumper off the dribble.
Coney gets the lay up to go after giving up a turnover on the previous possession.
McDaniels gets the T'Wolves on the board for the first time tonight with an offensive board and a put back.
Bullock opens the game up with a three ball in the corner on the opening possession!
WE ARE UNDERWAY FROM AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER!!!
T'Wolves starting 5
KAT won't be available tonight as he continues to heal a calf strain, but Rudy Gobert is fit to play and he and Anthony Edwards will have to shine tonight on the road in Dallas tonight.
Dallas Starting 5
The league's newest Fearsome Twosome will debut on their home court tonight, and get ready for sparks to fly. This is the Mavs last home game before the All-Star Break, so they will want to give the fans a show.
He's baaaaacckkkk
Luka Doncic missed four games after injuring his heel against the Pelicans at the beginning of the month. The Mavs won three of those four games. Their last game was the final game of a final road trip so while disappointing, it’s understandable that Dallas dropped the game against a very talented Kings team. He returns home tonight, and the AA Center will be pumped to welcome him back, and watch who the league’s newest and maybe best duo look on the same court together.
Kyrie's first impression
Kyrie walked right into the Mavericks team and took control from the very beginning. He started his Mavs era in LA with a win, and 24 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists against the Clippers. Then he went to Sacramento and beat the Kings with no Luka, scoring 25 points, and dishing 10 assists. He had his best game in Mavs blue once the Luka came back and lost to the Kings but he posted 28, 7 and 7.
NBA standings
As we take a look at the the Western Conference Standings from top to bottom, we see the Denver Nuggets in first place as they have been for most of the season. The Grizzlies sit in second but are 4.5 games back of Jokic and Denver. The Kings sit two games above the Mavs who are in fourth place, and then you have the T’Wolves in 8th, but they are just a game and a half below the Mavs.
Dallas' new duo
For the first time ever Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic will star on the same stage wearing the same jersey tonight from American Airlines Center. Both have had spectacular careers individually, and now they have a chance to become a real powerhouse in Western Conference. The Chemistry will have to grow, but they have already showed signs of how dangerous they can be in their first game together.
Edwards heads Twokves attack
The T’Wolves have taken some serious hits over the last week or so. They have no Karl Anthony-Towns at the moment, and they just saw Deangelo Russel ship off to Los Angeles to rejoin the Lakers. That means Anthony Edwards has a large burden placed upon his shoulders tonight against the Mavs in Dallas.
T’wolves last game
The Timberwolves have been consistently inconsistent over the course of the last two weeks. They have exchanged wins and losses in their last eight games, and their last loss came last game against Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies. The T’Wolves starting five scores just 52 points, as Morant finished the game with 32 points, 9 assists and 9 rebounds in the 128-107 Memphis win.
Mavs last game
The Mavs finished their five game road trip with a loss in the second half of a back-to-back series with the surprising Sacramento Kings. After beating them on their court in their first matchup the Mavs allowed 133 points, led by De’Aaron Fox’s 36 points. It was the first time that Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were on the same court on the same team. Sacramento exploited the Mavs down low, scoring 74 points in the paint. Despite the dominance down low Kyrie Irving’s team high 28 points and Luka’s 27 helped the Mavs pushed the game to overtime. Fox missed the potential game winner at the end of the fourth quarter, but the Kings took control in the OT session and sealed the 133-128 victory.
We are live from AA Center
Hello everyone and welcome to Big D where the Dallas Mavericks are finally home, and can finally give their fans a live, in-person look at their newest superstar, Kyrie Irving, who is pairing up with an MVP candidate Luka Doncic as the Mavs gear up for another deep run for in the playoffs. The T’Wolves are coming off of a few days rest and needing a win to jump out of the Play-In Postion heading into the All-Star Break.
T’Wolves vs. Mavs
We’ve got a Western Conference showdown from Dallas as the Mavs debut the newest Big Two in the NBA in front of their home fans as the Minnesota Timberwolves come to town searching for a little consistency for the first time in a while. AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis from American Airlines Center.