Dallas Mavericks Game 2 recap: First win in home opener vs. Minnesota

The Dallas Mavericks got a hard-fought 140-136 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 20, and we examine that game.

In what was a thriller of a game, the Dallas Mavericks got their first win of the season. What might surprise some fans is that it is only game two. Previous years saw Dallas go on five-plus game losing streaks to start the regular season. This year is different, as the Mavericks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in a tight game Saturday night.

Fans could tell that the Wolves were struggling throughout the game. They committed 17 turnovers while also giving up a 15 point lead before the first half ended. The first quarter was the only outlier where we saw them do amazingly, putting up 46 points.

Jimmy Butler’s presence was well missed by the Wolves. Resting after a back to back and starting Josh Okogie in his place proved to be noted, as the rookie managed to get a mere six points from 28 minutes of action.

It seemed to be that Derrick Rose went back in time, putting up 28 points, five assists and five rebounds in what was an awing game.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins attempted to carry the team, combining for 50 points and eight rebounds but were in foul trouble early on.

Let’s talk about how the Dallas Mavericks fared on Saturday evening.

The rookie shines

Luka Doncic showed out at the American Airlines Center. The third pick of the draft went for 26 points on 50 percent shooting from the field and 44.4 percent from beyond the arc. He struggled in his regular season debut but bounced back to show his worth.

The first quarter seemed to be unlucky for Doncic, making none of his shots and even air-balled a three. The European forward found his groove midway through the second quarter, putting up 15 points to bring the Mavericks tied up at halftime, 69-69.

This needs to be reiterated: Doncic needs to work on his passing. A second consecutive game with a high amount of turnovers isn’t looking too good. Doncic was responsible for six of the Mavs 16 turnovers in last night’s contest. It might be time to act more cautious with the ball.

Barea, future 6th Man of the Year?

In what was the second game in a row, J.J. Barea seems to be carrying this Mavericks bench. With just 21 minutes of action, the Puerto Rican native got 12 points and 11 assists in another double-double game.

Even at age 34, Barea still has his game. Multiple times we saw him chip through Minnesota’s defense to find someone wide open. He seems to prove himself invaluable to the Mavericks offense for now and the future.

There also seemed to be a sort of a scuffle between Barea and guard Jeff Teague. After a clear offensive call charge on Teague, the two seemed to exchange words to each other until the Wolves guard received a technical foul. We all know and cherish Barea’s fire, right Blake Griffin?

Jordan just won’t stop

This upgrade on Nerlens Noel seems to be working so far. Like Barea, DeAndre Jordan went to get his second double-double of the season with 22 points and ten rebounds. The man might just be looking to get his first Defensive Player of the Year Award blocking five shots last night and six in total this week.

This might just be a topic we may not be talking about enough. Dallas, what did you do with DeAndre’s free throw shooting? Seeing Jordan at the free throw typically ends up with one or both shots missed.

Not last night. Shooting seven free throws, Jordan managed to only miss one. Might be too early to say, but DJ is already shooting 87.5% at the charity stripe. Seems to be a huge improvement.

Next Game

When: Monday at 7:30 PM CT

Where: American Airlines Center

Opponent: Chicago Bulls: lost two straight games

How to watch: Fox Sports Southwest or free NBA League Pass