The Dallas Mavericks won a hard-fought game over the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-108 on March 21. It was a massive game in the standings as Dallas moved within one game of the Jazz for fourth and gave themselves a 2.5 game cushion on the Wolves with the victory. It was an impressive win for the Mavs because they overcame plenty of struggles to secure it at the American Airlines Center.
Mavs superstar Luka Doncic could not get on track on Monday night. The Timberwolves held him scoreless in the first quarter, and he just never got comfortable. Doncic finished with 15 points, ten assists, six rebounds, and one steal in 38 minutes of action as he made just five of his 17 field goals and had eight turnovers against the Wolves.
The rest of the Mavericks stepped up to win a crucial game for Dallas. Dwight Powell, Spencer Dinwiddie, Reggie Bullock, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Jalen Brunson all played key roles in the win. Here is a closer look at the Mavs performance and what is next.
Dallas Mavericks overcome Luka Doncic struggles to defeat the Timberwolves
Doncic struggled against the Wolves' aggressive defense on March 21. They were sending two at the Mavs superstar or had Patrick Beverley in his face all night long. Minnesota did not give Luka an inch on Monday night, but he continued to make plays, and the gravity he drew opened plenty of shots for the rest of the Mavs.
Dwight Powell fouled out after 27 minutes of action, but he had 22 points, eight rebounds, two steals, and one block on eight of eight shooting from the field. His presence at the rim was massive as he led the team in scoring against the Wolves.
Spencer Dinwiddie went back to the bench with Reggie Bullock back in the lineup, but it did not slow him down. The 6’5 guard finished with 20 points, eight rebounds, and three dimes in 28 minutes of action. He made seven of his 12 field goals as the Mavs outscored Minnesota by seven with Dinwiddie on the floor.
Bullock made a massive six 3-pointers in his return from a four-game absence, and Dorian Finney-Smith dropped 18 points. The duo played outstanding defense on Monday night as the Mavericks took a two games to one advantage over the Wolves in the season series, which could be an important tiebreaker if they end the regular season with the same record.
The Dallas Mavericks are back in action on Wednesday night as they host the in-state rival Houston Rockets before traveling to Minnesota for a rematch with the Timberwolves on Friday. Every game is massive for the Mavs right now, so do not miss a second of the action down the stretch and into the playoffs.