Timberwolves Wrap: Wolves blowout Dallas at home

The Timberwolves kept their winning streak going in a blowout of the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night.

The Timberwolves did something they hadn’t done in nearly five years on Saturday night: notch a win in their fourth consecutive game.

The Mavericks didn’t stand a chance against the scoring duo of Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, as they ended up with a combined 54 points between the two of them.

Overall the game was a lopsided affair from the get-go, with the Timberwolves leading by as much as 16 points at one point in the first half. This was in large part due to the Wolves destroying the Mavs on the glass, out-rebounding them 48 to 31.

In the second half, the Timberwolves led by as many as 25 points before the Mavericks whittled the lead down to just 14. The Wolves stabilized things down the stretch, but the game did end up a bit closer than it probably should have been.

This game was the best and most dominant performance from the Wolves in this young season. The Wolves controlled the pace of the game throughout and never took their foot off the gas pedal.

Another positive from this game was the continued progression of the bench. They contributed 32 points as a unit and look to be building good chemistry together. Specifically, Tyus Jones seemed to finally find a rhythm hitting three shots from deep, totaling nine points in the game.

All in all, the Wolves looked dominant against an inferior team. This game was a fun one to watch for Wolves fans.

Tweet of the Night

Key Takeaways

• The Wolves seem to be finally meshing all around offensively.
• Towns and Wiggins are looking more aggressive early in games. Wiggins had 16 points in the first half alone.
• Don’t look now, but it seems like the Wolves are starting to build a home court advantage with fans continuing to make it out to Target Center.
• Nemanja Bjelica is starting to really become a consistent 3-point threat for the Timberwolves. He added another two made shots from deep, and continues to lead the NBA in 3-point percentage early in the season.
• The fourth quarter was a bit of a rough spot in an overall impressive game. The Mavs outscored the Wolves 30 to 19, forcing Tom Thibodeau to put his starters in the game late to hold the lead.
• An overall solid home win for a team that is appearing to build confidence in themselves.

Player of the Game

Karl-Anthony Towns: 31 points (11-18 FG, 2-5 3P, 7-8 FT), 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks

Towns was dominant all night and Dallas couldn’t find an answer for him. It was an important bounce-back performance after being held to just two points in Dallas on Wednesday.

Notable Box Score Lines

Andrew Wiggins: 23 points (9-14 FG, 2-4 3P, 3-4 FT), 3 rebounds, 2 assists

Taj Gibson: 12 points (5-8 FG, 0 3P, 2-2 FT), 10 rebounds, 4 assists

Jeff Teague: 11 points (5-13 FG, 1-5 3P) 3 rebounds, 10 assists

Jimmy Butler: 4 points (1-7 FG, 0-2 3P, 2-2 FT), 7 assists, 5 rebounds

Wiggins was solid throughout the game, while Gibson was huge once again. Teague was largely quiet, and Butler struggled again to find his shot but was invaluable as a distributor and defender.

Next: How do Timberwolves match-up with Trail Blazers?

Who’s Up Next?

The Timberwolves turn around and host the Charlotte Hornets at Target Center. The game tips at 7 p.m. Central Time