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The Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves will lock horns with each other in an enticing 2021-22 NBA season game at Target Center on Sunday.
The Mavericks had their two-game winning run snapped in their previous outing. They are coming off a 104-107 OT loss against the LA Lakers. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves also played the Lakers in their last match. Unlike Dallas, the T'Wolves managed to win, though, defeating LeBron James and company by a 110-92 margin.
Match Details
Fixture - Dallas Mavericks vs Minnesota Timberwolves | 2021-22 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Sunday, December 19th, 2021; 8:00 PM ET (Monday, December 20th, 2021; 6:30 AM IST).
Venue - Target Center, Minneapolis, MN.
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavericks have been very inconsistent to start the 2021-22 NBA season. Their 14-14 record thus far has been a clear indication of that. The Mavs have mainly struggled to dominate their opponents throughout the course of a game.
That happened against the Lakers as well. The Mavericks did well to overturn a ten-point deficit in the first quarter and lead their opponents by three points heading into half-time. They had an excellent chance to cap off that turnaround in the second half. Dallas blew a seven-point lead during that stretch as the game eventually went into overtime.
Jason Kidd's side were ahead at the end of regulation, while they managed to level the scores toward the end of OT. Their defense did not play out the game as they would have liked, and the Mavericks ended up on the losing end of side of a close contest.
The Dallas Mavericks will have to bring their A-game defensively if they want to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves. The T'Wolves lead the league in first-quarter points and have what it takes to build on that. If the Mavs can stay close or even pull away with an early lead, it would bolster their chances in Sunday's contest to a great extent.
Key Player - Kristaps Porzingis
Kristaps Porzingis has done a decent job of leading the Dallas Mavericks in the absence of Luka Doncic. The Mavericks will be without the Slovenian yet again, so Porzingis will have to step up and lead the team to a win. The 7'3" power forward will have a challenging matchup to look forward to when the Mavs take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.
He will likely be tasked with guarding the in-form Karl-Anthony Towns. Limiting Towns is one of the keys to a win for Dallas. It will be an uphill task, but considering Porzingis' improvement on defense, Kidd and his staff will be hoping the Latvian can execute the job well.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
G - Jalen Brunson | G - Tim Hardaway Jr. | F - Dorian Finney-Smith | F - Kristaps Porzingis | C - Dwight Powell.
Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
The Minnesota Timberwolves look more motivated than ever in hopes of ending their playoff drought this season. Their All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell have led the team well thus far, and the veteran leadership of Patrick Beverley has also bolstered the team's mentality.
The Timberwolves seemed unfazed by the challenge of taking a 2-0 lead in their season series against the star-studded LA Lakers in their previous outing. Minnesota out-hustled the veteran group of the Lakers to claim yet another blowout win over them in the 2021-22 campaign.
Towns led the charge with 28 points, ten rebounds and three blocks, while Russell and Malik Beasley recorded 17 points apiece. The Minnesota Timberwolves grabbed 15 offensive boards and managed to give away just one defensive rebound to their opponents. They had a 61-36 advantage on the boards overall.
The Timberwolves weren't able to convert their shots efficiently, but their ability to fight for rebounds and loose balls, while keeping extra possession helped them win. They will have to do just that against the Dallas Mavericks to extend their win-steak to four games.
Key Player - Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns has been the chief architect in each of the Minnesota Timberwolves' last three wins. He scored an average of 27.6 points during that stretch. Towns has been extremely aggressive from the get-go, setting the tone for the rest of his teammates as well. The 6'11" center will have to do more of the same against the Dallas Mavericks to help his team register their fourth win on the bounce.
Minnesota Timberwolves Predicted Lineup
G - Patrick Beverley | G - D'Angelo Russell | F - Malik Beasley | F - Jarred Vanderbilt | C - Karl-Anthony Towns.
Mavericks vs Timberwolves Match Prediction
The Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves are evenly matched going into this contest as they sit 8th and 9th in the Western Conference respectively. However, the Timberwolves will hold the edge as the favorites due to their slightly better form heading into this game. They will also have the added advantage of playing on their homecourt.
Where to watch Mavericks vs Timberwolves
Bally Sports Southwest and Bally Sports North will provide local coverage of the game between the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves. Fans can also view the match online via NBA League Pass.
