3 Studs, 2 duds from Mavericks' gutsy road win against Timberwolves

On the second night of back-to-back for the Dallas Mavericks, they took down the Minnesota Timberwolves by a score of 120-114.

Before Klay Thompson joined the Mavericks this offseason and before 2023 when Kyrie Irving was traded, it was quite rare fans would see Dallas in the win column if Luka Doncic had a rough shooting night.

Fortunately that's not the case anymore. Doncic struggled to find any rhythm last night, but somehow he still deserves some credit. It seems like whenever the Mavericks are in need of a dagger shot in Minnesota, Doncic will be there to save the day.

3 Studs, 2 duds from Mavericks' gutsy road win against Timberwolves

Doncic got the switch onto Nickeil Alexander-Walker with a little more than a minute left in the fourth quarter while up by five points. In a close spot as to where Doncic hit the game-winner over Rudy Gobert in the second game of the Western Conference Finals last season, he did the same thing, but this time it was from logo range.

The Mavericks will head back to Dallas to prepare for their home matchup against the Houston Rockets on Thursday.

The Mavericks' will head back to Dallas to prepare for their home matchup against the Houston Rockets on Thursday.

5. Stud - Dereck Lively II

Once again, Dereck Lively II proved that his year two leap is real.

It has been a constant debate on if Lively II or Daniel Gafford should start, and now might be the time to put that conversation to an end. It's been proven that after four games this season, both centers thrive in the current roles they're in.

Gafford finished the game with 14 points and shot a perfect 6-6 from the floor.

The key standout once again though, was Lively II. In a game where the Mavericks needed him to be great on both ends of the floor, the 7-foot-1 center proved that he might be a future Defensive Player of te Year candidate.

Lively II finished the game with five points, nine rebounds, three steals, and shot 2-3 from the field. What stood out most though was the phenomenal perimeter defense on multiple Timberwolves players.

In the Utah Jazz game on Monday, Lively II impressed fans with his defense on Jordan Clarkson, specifically on the perimeter. He managed to impress once again as he was not shy of taking on the task of switching onto Anthony Edwards and getting stops.

It was truly an all-around game for Lively II. In every aspect, he found a way to make a contribution. Lively II recorded five offensive rebounds against the Timberwolves as well.

Although he has been playing great basketball, the Mavericks will have to rely on him again when they take on the Houston Rockets, as he will have a tough task guarding Alperen Şengün.

4. Dud - Jaden Hardy

After having a great start to the season, it has been a quiet week for third-year guard, Jaden Hardy.

After being one of the first players off of the bench in the Mavericks' matchups against the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns, it seems that Jason Kidd has shifted more of his focus to Quentin Grimes and Spencer Dinwiddie.

Hardy, who barely saw the floor against the Jazz earlier in the week, had the same situation against the Timberwolves. In his four minutes of time on the floor, Hardy was able to knock down his one shot attempt and finish the game with two points.

Being a guard that comes off of the Dallas Mavericks bench can be a difficult situation. With how stacked this roster is, one game can throw you out of the rotation and that's sort of what we saw happen to Hardy.

It's obvious that Jason Kidd is trying to get Dinwiddie back into a flow that he had going in the 2021-22 season. Although this could be good for Dallas, it seems like there's always something causing Hardy to see a restriction with his minutes.

If Hardy wants to start seeing a stable and consistent role with the Mavericks, he'll have to prove that can be a trustworthy third ball handler on a night-in, night-out basis.

3. Stud - P.J. Washington

Coming into this season, there were many Mavericks fans that were hesitant on P.J. Washington being the guaranteed starter at the power forward position.

After four games, it's been clear that Coach Kidd made the right decision of starting him.

In the win, Washington finished the game with 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and shot 3-6 from behind the arc. In his 32 minutes of time on the floor, Washington was also able to grab four offensive rebounds and have zero turnovers.

Over the last two games, Washington has proven he can do it all for the Mavericks.

One of the main reasons why the Denver Nuggets won the 2023 NBA Finals was due to having a player like Aaron Gordon. Someone who doesn't care about his stats and is able to do the dirty work when asked.

Washington has shown he can be the Gordon of the Mavericks. If he can keep up with his great attacking on offense and solid defense on the perimeter, don't be shocked when Dallas makes a big playoff run.

With weak offensive play from Naji Marshall to start the season and Maxi Kleber being out with an injury, the Mavericks will have to lean on Washington to be successful in the power forward position.

2. Dud - Luka Doncic

Firstly, just because Luka Doncic was listed as a dud doesn't mean he had an awful game. Doncic was still able to finish the night with 24 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, but shot a rough 10-27 from the field.

Doncic wasn't able to participate in the majority of training camp and any of the preseason, so one could truly say these first 10 regular season games are his preseason.

In the first half of the game, Doncic suffered an awkward right knee injury and with the reaction he had, it felt like everyone in the DFW metroplex had stopped breathing for three seconds. Scary moments can create scary thoughts and that's exactly what happened as everyone saw Doncic hobble to the locker room.

Doncic was able to return to the game and start the second half after this scary moment.

After starting the game 0-7 from the 3-point line, Doncic, with less than 90 seconds left in the fourth quarter, was able to sink his first three of the night and practically end all hope for Timberwolves fans.

Doncic has always been known for showing up in late-game situations, but if the Mavericks want to be labeled as a title contender, he'll have to start playing at an elite level for all four quarters.

1. Stud - Kyrie Irving

If a person tried to define the word clutch without looking in the dictionary, one of the first thoughts that would appear in their brain is two words: Kyrie Irving.

In a game where the Mavericks needed a player to step up and hit shots at an efficient rate, Irving proved why he's that guy.

Irving finished the game with 35 points, five assists, and four rebounds, and shot an absurd 6-8 from behind the arc.

From 3-pointers to mid-range shots to insane layups, Irving was getting buckets everywhere on the floor.

With less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Irving got an isolation on Julius Randle and took complete advantage of it. Irving hit Randle with his classic crossover to create separation and sank the 3-point shot at the top of the key. This play would later lead to the Doncic dagger that would seal the win for Dallas.

Irving and Doncic once again proved that they're the scariest backcourt duo in the NBA in clutch time. On a back-to-back where the Mavericks were searching for a win, Doncic and Irving stepped up and shocked the world on the road.

Next up, the Mavericks will host the Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center to see if they can improve their record to 4-1 on Thursday evening.

For the latest news and updates on Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks this season, stay tuned.