MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (42-30) at MAVERICKS (43-28)
Time: 7:30 p.m., Monday.
Place: American Airlines Center, Dallas.
TV: Bally Sports Southwest.
Radio: The Eagle 97.1 FM; Univision Zona MX 99.1 FM (Spanish)
About the Timberwolves: The Mavericks would be wise to take this team very seriously. The Wolves are 11-2 since the All-Star break, the best record in the NBA over that stretch. The list of teams they’ve beaten in that run includes Memphis, Cleveland, Golden State, Miami and Milwaukee. They’ve also had some soft touches along the way (Portland twice, Oklahoma City twice, the LA Lakers), but when you run off 11 wins in 13 games, you’re legit . . . Their latest success was a 138-119 home win over Milwaukee on Friday night, a game in which Giannis Antetokounmpo did not play. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards each had 25 points against the Bucks and combined for 9-of-16 3-point shooting . . . The Wolves hit 22-of-47 3-pointers against the Bucks and have hit at least 15 triples in six consecutive games and 10 of their last 11 . . . They take – and make – more 3-pointers than anybody in the league, although their percentage (35.6) is only 12th in the league . . . That shooting is part of the reason why the Wolves are the highest-scoring team in the NBA at 115.5 points per game and they play with the second-fastest pace in the NBA, which should be an interesting contrast to the Mavericks, who are the slowest-paced team in the league . . . Towns has had a fantastic season, averaging 24.9 points and 9.9 rebounds per game and also shooting 41.2 percent from beyond the arc . . . Second-year guard Edwards is averaging 21.1 points and has improved his shooting across the board while also chipping in 3.7 assists per game . . . The Wolves will be without forward Jaden McDaniels, who is out with a sprained left ankle.
About the Mavericks: Coach Jason Kidd may be ready to reunite the starting lineup he was using before Reggie Bullock had to leave the team for a personal matter. After missing four games, he’s expected back Monday and is tentatively listed with the starters with Spencer Dinwiddie coming off the bench. Kidd had started Dinwiddie with Jalen Brunson and Luka Dončić in a three-point-guard lineup while Bullock was out . . . The Mavericks are coming off a 3-2 trip that started with a bang (three wins) and ended with a couple of duds at the end . . . This is the start of a crucial stretch. The Wolves are only a game-and-a-half behind the Mavericks in the Western Conference standings and the two will play each other twice this week (the rematch is Friday in Minnesota). In between, the Mavericks will host Houston Wednesday and they also have an important home game Sunday against Utah, which is just ahead of them in the standings . . . The teams split two games earlier this season, with both sides winning at home, although Dončić did not play in either of those games . . . The Mavs’ defense, rated sixth overall in the league, will be put to the test. They are No. 1 at preventing 3-point shots, which is the Wolves’ meal ticket . . . Interesting that the Mavericks’ No. 1 3-point shooter (minimum 10 threes made) is Dinwiddie, who is nailing 40.3 percent from beyond the arc. Next would be Dorian Finney-Smith (38.8 percent) and Jalen Brunson (38.1) . . . Josh Green continues to do things off the bench that help the Mavericks. He has improved his scoring, rebounding, assists and steals over his rookie season and his shooting, 3-point shooting and free-throw shooting also are up from last year. Expect to see him continue in his rotation role off the bench even as the Mavericks get healthier.
Twitter: @ESefko
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