The Timberwolves were beaten badly in every facet of the game in an embarrassing road loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night.
The final score was 128-101, but the game really didn’t even feel that close. It was over midway through the third quarter, and the only silver lining is that Andrew Wiggins only played 30 minutes and Karl-Anthony Towns, Ricky Rubio, and Gorgui Dieng each were only on the floor for 25 minutes.
It was clear from the beginning which team played last night. The aging Mavericks ran all over the Wolves throughout the game, and the road team struggled mightily with their outside shots and free throws, presumably due (at least in part) to tired legs.
The Wolves started the game by clanking a number of outside jumpers while the Mavs drained three-pointer after three-pointer. Chandler Parsons had his way with the Timberwolves all game long, scoring 29 points on 10 of 15 shooting in just 27 minutes of playing time, including converting 4 of 7 long-range shots.
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Minnesota essentially refused to guard the three-point line, daring the Mavericks to shoot from beyond the arc all night long. It was a curious strategy, and Dallas hit 13 of 36 threes — a number of those misses came after the game was out of reach, so the impact on their shooting from distance was felt even if the final percentage wasn’t overwhelming.
And while the Wolves’ offense sputtered, the defense was non-existent. The aforementioned Parsons combined with Dirk Nowitzki and Wesley Matthews to shoot 9 of 16 from beyond the arc, and the Mavs shot 52.8 percent from the field on the night.
Shabazz Muhammad (25 points, 7-13 FG), Ricky Rubio (14 points, 5-11 FG, five assists), and Karl-Anthony Towns (12 points, 6-9 FG, 11 rebounds) were the only Wolves who came to play on this night.
Here’s hoping they can turn it around at home on Wednesday night.
Tweets of the Night
Getting crushed by a decent Mavs team after edging out Brow-less Pelicans makes for a pretty mediocre Wolves weekend.
— Punch-Drunk Wolves (@PDWolves) February 29, 2016
Star of the Night
Chandler Parsons – 29 points (10-15 FG, 4-7 3P, 5-5 FT), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, one steal
Parsons is progressing rapidly after microfracture surgery. He looked like a shell of himself earlier this year but is coming on strong. His three-point shooting is effortless and he even showed the speed to turn the corner and get to the rim whenever necessary.
Notable Timberwolves Lines
Andrew Wiggins – 15 points (5-11 FG, 0-1 3P, 5-8 FT), 4 rebounds, one assist, 3 turnovers
Zach LaVine – 10 points (3-14 FG, 1-6 3P, 3-4 FT), 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, one turnover
Ricky Rubio – 14 points (5-11 FG, 1-4 3P, 3-3 FT), 5 assists, 2 rebounds, zero turnovers
Shabazz Muhammad – 24 points (7-13 FG, 2-4 3P, 8-10 FT), 5 rebounds, one block, 3 turnovers
Who’s Got Next?
The Timberwolves will again enjoy a couple consecutive off days. They won’t play again until hosting the Washington Wizards at Target Center on Wednesday.
Next: Should the Timberwolves Trade Andrew Wiggins?
The Wolves will then head to Milwaukee to take on the middling Bucks on Friday night. The schedule is favorable over the next week-plus before taking a tough turn, so these next few games are important for Minnesota to gain a bit of momentum after a rough loss in Dallas.