Previewing Timberwolves Lineup vs. Dallas Mavericks

Tonight, the Mavericks host the 22-21 Minnesota Timberwolves at the American Airlines Center, a matchup in which Dallas has almost half of its team on the injury report as either "out" or "questionable." A stretch of brutal injury luck put the Mavericks' win streak to a screeching halt, as they are now 3-9 in their last 12 games, falling further and further out of contention in a stacked Western Conference. Coming off of a bad loss to a struggling Charlotte team that was missing Brandon Miller, Dallas is in desperate need of some positive momentum.
Minnesota is similarly struggling – after trading away Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, the returns have not been as good as anticipated. Though they have not had the same injury trouble that has plagued the Mavs, they are still in a precarious position in the West, sitting in a play-in spot at the 9-seed.
READ MORE: Over Half of Mavericks' Roster on Injury Report vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
At point guard for the T-Wolves is 37-year-old Mike Conley, who is not the same player he was even last year. Averaging just 7.8 points and 4.2 assists, Conley has had major trouble with efficiency this season, shooting a poor 35.7% from the field overall. While he has shot decently from three at 37.2%, and very well from the line at 88.9%, his athleticism has gone by the wayside as he really struggles inside the arc and at the rim. It would not be surprising to see Kentucky rookie Robert Dillingham surpass him at some point this season and take the starting role.
Anthony Edwards, the number-one pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, is a superstar in the league and will play shooting guard for the Timberwolves tonight. One of the most dynamic athletes in the entire league, Edwards is averaging 26.3 points per game, which ranks him eighth overall in that category. He also supplements his scoring with 5.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists, all while shooting 42.8% from beyond the arc, mostly on unassisted shots. His ability to score in multiple ways makes him extremely dangerous, especially in isolation situations, as he ranks 10th in the NBA in iso scoring. He will be the primary focus of the Mavericks defense tonight.
READ MORE: Preview: Mavericks Looking to Avenge Christmas Loss to Timberwolves
6-foot-9 defensive specialist Jaden McDaniels will hold down the wing spot, a rangy forward that can affect opposing ball handlers as well as contest shots using his length. Though not a huge offensive threat, averaging 10.1 points per game as well as 5.0 rebounds, his impact on the defensive end can't be understated, as he contributes extremely well in this area using his size and mobility. He is a perfect foil for a player like Naji Marshall (questionable for tonight) on the offensive end, as he can close out on open shots and make up for missed assignments by other Timberwolves defenders.
Julius Randle will play the power forward spot, a relatively new acquisition by the Wolves after the aforementioned trade involving Karl-Anthony Towns in the 2024 offseason. Randle, though he does bring scoring (18.9 points) and rebounding (7.3 boards), is a defensive liability, and a player that the Mavs can attack on the offensive end using Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington. Randle is a good passer out of the post and can affect the offense in this way by finding open shooters by simply passing over the defense, but his impact on the offensive end cannot necessarily make up for his flaws on the other end of the floor.
READ MORE: Key Maverick Criticizes Officiating of Kyrie Irving, Says Star Needs More Respect
The center spot will be played by Rudy Gobert, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year most famous in Mavericks lore for being a victim of Luka Doncic's game-winner in Game 2 of the 2024 Western Conference Finals. Still, he provides a unique challenge for a team lacking its superstar guard in Doncic, as Gobert is as good as it gets as far as patrolling the paint and swatting weak attempts at the rim. Though he can be drawn out of drop coverage when Doncic is playing, it will be much harder to get him out of position without the Slovenian lead initiator, and he will likely be a much more effective piece given the Mavericks' injury situation.
The bench unit will consist of guards Rob Dillingham and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, wing Joe Ingles, and big man Naz Reid. With off-guard Donte DiVincenzo out for tonight's game, as well as rookie wing Terrence Shannon Jr., the Wolves should still be fine depth-wise, especially in comparison to the banged-up Mavs. Dallas will be down Doncic, Dante Exum, Jaden Hardy, and Dwight Powell, with Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Dereck Lively II, and Quentin Grimes all questionable for the matchup.
READ MORE: Jason Kidd Provides Disappointing Injury Updates on Two Key Mavericks
Overall, it's not likely Dallas is able to pull this off, especially if some of their "questionables" turn into "outs." Considering Minnesota is at essentially full strength, the Mavericks will have to get lucky with some hot shooting, as scoring at the rim will be difficult without Doncic to lure Gobert out of position. While Dallas got the better of the Wolves multiple times last year and in the playoffs, tonight might be chalked up as a loss before it even starts due to the injury situation.
Stick with MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the 2024-25 Season.
Follow MavericksGameday on Twitter and Keenan Womack on Twitter.