The Dallas Mavericks, riding a three-game home winning streak, are hitting the road Thursday night for a huge NBAtv showdown against the red-hot Minnesota Timberwolves. These Wolves have won four straight, man, they just dismantled Utah at home on Sunday. Dallas needs to bring their A-game after overcoming a tough Pacers team on Monday, because this Minnesota squad is no joke.
Who’s In, Who’s Out, and Why It Matters
Dallas is actually coming into this one as healthy as they’ve been all year, which is fantastic news! Tarik Biberovic is still out with bursitis, and Sergio De Larrea is nursing his knee sprain, but everyone else looks good. Morez Johnson Jr. is listed as probable after missing Monday’s game with a shin injury, and they are going to absolutely need him against the Timberwolves’ big men. That’s a crucial piece of the puzzle for Dallas.
Now, on the Minnesota side, things are wild. They’re missing their All-Universe guard, Anthony Edwards, who’s got a right knee issue. And Donte DiVincenzo is still recovering from an Achilles tear. Yet, they’re winning! Joan Beringer is on the injury report with a face injury but will play with a mask. He’s a really valuable rotation player for them, so seeing him out there despite the injury is huge for Minnesota.
Rudy Gobert’s Buffet? Dallas Needs Rebounds, Stat!
Here’s where Dallas needs to seriously lock in: rebounding and defense. We’ve seen it this season, Dallas just hasn’t played great defense overall, and they give up way too many offensive rebounds. That’s a recipe for disaster against a team like the Timberwolves, especially with Rudy Gobert lurking in the paint. He could absolutely feast in this game if Dallas doesn’t come prepared.
The Mavs can score, no doubt about it, even against a tough Minnesota defense. But can they stop the Wolves from getting second and third chances? That’s the million-dollar question. They found some real team rebounding on Monday, and they’ll need to summon that same energy, and then some, to keep Gobert from owning the boards.
This Thursday night matchup at Target Center is gonna be a war, 7:00 PM CST. Can Dallas keep their streak alive against a dominant Wolves squad, especially with their own rebounding and defense needing to step up big time? Tune into NBAtv or KFAA, you won’t want to miss this one!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mavs Moneyball.
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