Dallas Mavericks' newest X-factor snaps cold streak at perfect time

On the second night of a back-to-back, the Dallas Mavericks narrowly escaped Minnesota with a 120-114 victory over the Timberwolves. In a highly touted contest being that it was a Western Conference Finals rematch, the Mavericks rallied together in the second half to take down the red-hot Timberwolves.

With the team just coming off a home win against the Utah Jazz, not a lot of fans had high hopes for this nationally televised Western Conference Finals rematch. Not only were the Mavs down by 10 points at one point in the second quarter but superstar Luka Doncic went down with what looked like a concerning injury at the time.

While Doncic returned in the second half of Tuesday night's affair, the Mavericks needed all of Kyrie Irving and P.J. Washington to secure the bag. In addition to Irving and Washington, the Mavericks got much-needed help off the bench from the perimeter by one of the team's newest members.

Quentin Grimes swings game in Mavs' favor with 3-point shooting

Since joining the Dallas Mavericks in the summer, Quentin Grimes has struggled with making shots on the offensive end of the floor. Despite one preseason game that proved to fans what Grimes was capable of, the former Houston Cougar has largely struggled with efficiency as a Maverick.

In his first three regular season games with Dallas, Grimes had yet to knock down a 3-point shot despite getting plenty of open attempts. Against Minnesota, fans were expecting more of the same out of Grimes until he knocked down his first corner look from behind the arc.

This shot was not only a milestone in Grimes' career as a Maverick, but it seemingly opened the floodgates for the fourth-year pro as he would go on to finish the game 3-5 from behind the 3-point arc.

These shots couldn't have come at a more important time in the game as Dallas was mounting a lead that they would hold on to for the remainder of the game. Grimes not only helped the Mavericks establish that lead but he would go on to help the team secure that lead with his elite point-of-attack defense on the other end of the floor.

Grimes has been a constant knockdown 3-point shooter dating back to his time as a New York Knick. In an offense that features Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, fans knew it would only be a matter of time before Grimes would get his groove from behind the arc.

Fans have yet to see if this will be a trend throughout the season, but knocking down three of five attempts in a highly contested game is a promising sign for the Mavericks newcomer. Assuming Grimes can continue to knock down shots at this rate, the Mavericks may truly have maximized the potential of Grimes.

Grimes will need to continue knocking down open shots at a high rate if he wishes to see his role increase barring any injuries, but knocking down three of five shots from behind the 3-point line is a solid start to what could be a long career in Dallas.