The Minnesota Timberwolves will try to avoid sustaining back-to-back losses for the first time this season when they face the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night in Minneapolis.
Minnesota has surged to the top of the Western Conference standings with 22 wins in its first 29 games. Part of the Timberwolves' surprise success has been an ability to bounce back from disappointment, as Minnesota has compiled a 6-0 record in games after a loss.
That perfect mark will be put to the test against Dallas and superstar guard Luka Doncic.
The Mavericks also are looking to bounce back after they took a 113-110 home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Dallas was outscored 59-41 in the second half after carrying a 15-point lead into halftime.
Doncic scored 39 points on 14-of-29 shooting in the defeat. It was his third straight game scoring at least 39 points, including a 50-point performance on Christmas Day against the Phoenix Suns.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd believes Doncic also deserves attention for his commitment on defense.
"I think he has done a really good job of taking that challenge, understanding that he's going to be sometimes called upon to be the pick-and-roll (defender)," Kidd said. "I think he was excited about his blocked shots and his steals the other night. ... He's doing a really good job in that isolation of being picked on and he's gotten stops. He's improving there."
Seth Curry will look to stay hot for the Mavericks after scoring 19 points off the bench on Wednesday. It was a season-best effort for the veteran role player, whose previous high was 15 points against the Washington Wizards on Nov. 15.
Minnesota's top scorer is Anthony Edwards, who is averaging 25.2 points while shooting 45.3 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from 3-point range. Karl-Anthony Towns ranks second with 22.0 points per game, and Rudy Gobert is averaging a double-double with 12.7 points and 12.0 rebounds.
Towns is listed as questionable to play Thursday because of left knee soreness. He did not play Saturday in Minnesota's road win against the Sacramento Kings because of the nagging injury, and he returned Tuesday against Oklahoma City but seemed to play through some discomfort in the Timberwolves' 129-106 loss.
Minnesota coach Chris Finch would like to see his players clean up the mistakes from their most recent game, including the 24 turnovers they committed against the Thunder.
"I don't think offensively we were able to establish a consistent rhythm all night," Finch said. "Our spacing was poor. It was not our best effort."
The Thursday contest will be the second of four regular-season matchups between the Timberwolves and Mavericks. Minnesota won the first game 119-101 on Dec. 14 in Dallas.
Naz Reid scored 27 points off the bench to lead the Timberwolves in that game. Towns registered 21 points and 17 rebounds.
Doncic scored 39 points on 15-for-27 shooting and added 13 assists to lead the Mavericks in the loss to Minnesota. Dereck Lively II added 15 points on 7-for-9 shooting, and Dante Exum tallied 14 points on 5-for-6 shooting.
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