GAME 31: DAL (15-16) @ MIN (16-15) | 106-116 loss

[KillerLeft]

The Minnesota Timberwolves will try to follow up their best offensive night in franchise history when they face the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night in Minneapolis in the first of consecutive games between the teams.

The Timberwolves set franchise marks of 150 points and 57 field goals during Sunday's rout of the visiting Chicago Bulls. Minnesota made 65.5 percent of its field-goal attempts and knocked down a season-best 23 3-pointers out of 43 attempts.

Anthony Edwards led the assault with a season-best 37 points and career-high 11 assists in the 150-126 trouncing of the Bulls.

Minnesota will try to keep the offense moving against a Dallas squad that has lost four of its past six games. The Mavericks are awaiting word on whether Luka Doncic, the NBA's second-leading scorer at 33 points per game, will be available.

Doncic (quadriceps injury) is questionable after missing Saturday's 100-99 overtime loss to the host Cleveland Cavaliers. Kemba Walker took advantage of Doncic's absence to score 32 points.

Dallas and Minnesota also will play Wednesday night in Minneapolis.

Russell has topped 20 points in each of his last six appearances.

Minnesota could be without Rudy Gobert (ankle injury) for the third straight game. Fellow big man Naz Reid left Sunday's game with an injured trapezius muscle.

If Doncic is unable to play, Walker could be in line for another huge dose of playing time for the Mavericks, who are ailing in the backcourt.

Spencer Dinwiddie (knee) is expected to be available, but Tim Hardaway Jr. (non-COVID illness) is questionable and Josh Green (elbow) will miss the contest.

Walker played 42 minutes against Cleveland in just his third game for Dallas. He added seven assists, five rebounds and made four 3-pointers in the opener of a four-game trip.

Christian Wood also excelled with 26 points and 14 rebounds, but he missed a long 3-pointer as time expired for the Mavericks.

The teams split four meetings last season, with the home team winning each time.

[Nowitzki Way]

While we cant expect 30 points or 42 minutes a night from Kemba, it would be nice if we can start seeing Kemba take that Dinwiiddie role from last year's team.

If he can provide scoring and ball handling off the bench for 20-25 minutes a night, then this changes things in a big way. 

Who loses minutes in this scenario? My vote would be Bullock. Frankie? Green?

[KillerLeft]

While we cant expect 30 points or 42 minutes a night from Kemba, it would be nice if we can start seeing Kemba take that Dinwiiddie role from last year's team.

If he can provide scoring and ball handling off the bench for 20-25 minutes a night, then this changes things in a big way. 

Who loses minutes in this scenario? My vote would be Bullock. Frankie? Green?

Agreed, but his chronic knee stuff seems prohibitive to this type of planning. If not for the knee, I might suggest that he takes Brunson's starting role from last year, moving Dinwiddie back into the role that really fit him like a glove, 6th man. 

But, I don't know if Walker has that in him reliably anymore. Shame, because he's obviously a great player with a skillset they desperately need.

[Nowitzki Way]

Agreed, but his chronic knee stuff seems prohibitive to this type of planning. If not for the knee, I might suggest that he takes Brunson's starting role from last year, moving Dinwiddie back into the role that really fit him like a glove, 6th man. 

But, I don't know if Walker has that in him reliably anymore. Shame, because he's obviously a great player with a skillset they desperately need.

Agreed. I almost said the same thing, that he really fits better into the Brunson role. With Dinwiddie sliding back to the bench. 

But the knee is worrisome. I just hope that sitting out for almost a year has helped him and we can get consistent minutes out of him.

It all sheds light on how important Brunson or that "Brunson Role" was to this team's roster/ rotations. Not filling his spot with a more competent player (Campazzo) or healthier option (Walker) has hurt this team so far. Terrible roster construction this off season.

[MrGoat]

I prefer Kemba's playstyle to Dinwiddie already myself. But even Nico already publicly doesn't trust his knees so I don't think you can ask to him to play those kinds of minutes all of the time. He's more like the Blake Griffin on the Celtics role, he can give you some really high quality ex star veteran play now and then but don't lean on him too often because he'll break if you do. It's a real bummer they couldn't close that last one out without Luka because it feels like a waste of a vintage Kemba performance

[SleepingHero]

I also love watching Kemba's playstyle. I don't see why we're pussyfooting around playing him. He's on a non-guaranteed deal. Nows the time to get as much value as you can and see what he can bring/hold up.

We'll see if Kidd actually plays him tonight though. Not super confident in that. I think his agent is the one putting a minutes restriction on him come to think of it.

[Chicagojk]

Hardaway is out tonight.

[dynamicalVoid]

Hardaway is out tonight.

LFG

[Mavs2021]

Hardaway is out tonight.

More minutes for Hardy Pinson.

This franchise.

[sterlingmallory]

Who would have thought, turns out putting Wood in the short roll spot works really well.

[Chicagojk]

Some lackluster and sloppy moments from Luka to start the game.

I think he was beat for two rebounds that led to 5 points

[Mavs2021]

Maybe it´s good Hardy is playing G-League instead. Half these guys on the Wolves don´t even look like they are good enough for the G-League.

[sterlingmallory]

Maybe it´s good Hardy is playing G-League instead. Half these guys on the Wolves don´t even look like they are good enough for the G-League.

I think Hardy staying in the G League for now is a good thing. He's clearly not ready. He has some nice moves going to the basket but he ruins it by driving into traffic pretty often and either getting blocked or turning it over. He also can't pass, can't run an offense, can't play defense. He tears up the G League but when I watch him play in the NBA I see a guy who can't do a single thing other than drive to the basket and occasionally score. Maybe I'm being hard on him, but I think he's 2 years away at minimum from being a regular contributor.

[Mavs2021]

McGee/Bertans played 14 minutes total.

How many combined rebounds/blocks/assists/steals do you think they have?

Over/under is 0.5.

[cow]

McGee and Frank leading the team in +/- at the half just as we all suspected would happen.

[Chicagojk]

This team sucks.  Just horrific offense.  Please end my misery.  Hate the Dinwiddie offense with him dribbling in space and no one moving.

[Chicagojk]

I think Hardy staying in the G League for now is a good thing. He's clearly not ready. He has some nice moves going to the basket but he ruins it by driving into traffic pretty often and either getting blocked or turning it over. He also can't pass, can't run an offense, can't play defense. He tears up the G League but when I watch him play in the NBA I see a guy who can't do a single thing other than drive to the basket and occasionally score. Maybe I'm being hard on him, but I think he's 2 years away at minimum from being a regular contributor.

He better be a regular contributor next year.

[cow]

He better be a regular contributor next year.

He'd need to play a lot this year for that to happen.

[Chicagojk]

He'd need to play a lot this year for that to happen.

He needs to be on the Josh Green plan.  Allow his to learn and grow next year.  If you think he is a guy you want here, he needs at least 15 minutes a game.

[cow]

He needs to be on the Josh Green plan.  Allow his to learn and grow next year.  If you think he is a guy you want here, he needs at least 15 minutes a game.

I'd like to see him developed much quicker than Josh.  And the makeup of this team feels like it should be possible to get him minutes quicker sooner than later.