The Minnesota Timberwolves will play their second of two straight matchups with the Dallas Mavericks at Target Center on Wednesday. Having won three games in a row, they will look to extend their win streak against a struggling Mavs team.
The Wolves have won their last three with a close win in Oklahoma City, followed by an offensive explosion at home against Chicago, then their victory on Monday against Dallas. In their 150-126 demolition of the Bulls, Minnesota reversed their season-long trend of not making enough threes by drilling an incredible 23 outside shots.
Unfortunately, the schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Timberwolves with a four-game road trip coming up, all against playoff teams. They will do themselves well to grab another victory on Wednesday.
Timberwolves vs. Mavericks Odds, Spread, Over/Under
The latest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook have the Mavericks as -3.5 point favorites against the spread. The Timberwolves are +138 on the moneyline, with Dallas coming in at -164.
The over/under for the matchup is 227.0. Through 31 games, the Timberwolves are averaging 115.5 points per game, while the Mavericks are averaging 111.2 through the same number of games.
Timberwolves Injury Report
- Jordan McLaughlin – OUT (calf)
- Rudy Gobert – Questionable (ankle)
- Kyle Anderson – Day-to-day (back)
- Taurean Prince – OUT (shoulder)
- Karl-Anthony Towns – OUT (calf)
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction
Momentum is one factor that is certainly in the Timberwolves’ favor right now. Having won three games in a row, Minnesota is once again looking like they are putting the pieces together.
In bizarre fashion, this has happened while Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert are both riding the bench with injuries. We have seen Anthony Edwards as the focal point on offense, and it is paying major dividends.
In addition, D’Angelo Russell has been back for the last two contests, and his play in the month of December has far exceeded what he showed us in the first six weeks of the season. It could not have come at a better time for Minnesota, who desperately needed better play from their starting point guard. Having both members of their starting backcourt performing at a high level has given the Timberwolves a major boost.
They will need that trend to continue if they are to outscore Luka Doncic and the Mavericks for a second straight time. Although, Dallas has not boasted the most prolific offense in the league this season by a long shot. They have frequently not looked like the team that reached the Western Conference Finals just seven months ago.
While Doncic is putting up MVP numbers yet again with 32.5 points per game this year, he does not have a single teammate averaging 18 points or more. Only three other Mavericks that have played at least five games with the team are even scoring in double figures on average.
In games this season where Doncic has scored at least 32 points, the Mavs are 13-5. When he scores less than that, they are just 2-8. On Monday, Jaden McDaniels’ defense played a big part in holding Luka to a season-low 19 points and getting him ejected in the third quarter. If the Timberwolves can come close to replicating that stunning defensive effort again, they should have a solid chance to win this one.
Minnesota Timberwolves 121, Dallas Mavericks 114
What channel is the Minnesota Timberwolves game on?
Wednesday’s game will be broadcast locally on Bally Sports North, as well as on Bally Sports Southwest.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Dallas Mavericks Live Stream
For a live stream of the game, check out FuboTV for a free trial!
Minnesota Timberwolves Next Game and Schedule
The Minnesota Timberwolves will leave the Twin Cities and embark on a four-game road trip starting on Friday. They will have their hands full with four contests against teams primed to be in the playoffs in 2023.
Dec. 23 at Celtics
Dec. 26 at Heat
Dec. 28 at Pelicans
Dec. 30 at Bucks
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.