Without Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves Share the Ball and Bury Dallas, 133-94, for Their Biggest Win of the Season

On paper, Thursday night in Minneapolis looked like a real test. Two of the Western Conference's hottest teams met at Target Center, Minnesota riding a four-game winning streak and Dallas a three-game run of its own ^[4]. By the third quarter, it looked like a mismatch.

The Timberwolves routed the Mavericks 133-94, leading by as many as 44 points in the fourth quarter, KSTP reported ^[1]. The 39-point final margin made it Minnesota's most lopsided win of the season; its previous biggest margin was 25 ^[1]. And the Wolves did it without their best player.

Next Man Up, and the Man After That

Anthony Edwards was listed out with a knee injury before the game, along with guard Donte DiVincenzo, according to pre-game injury reports ^[4][5]. ESPN's injury listing put Edwards' estimated return in late December ^[5].

Missing a star like Edwards usually means somebody has to take 30 shots. Minnesota went the other way. The Wolves piled up 33 assists, and six players scored in double figures, according to Fadeaway World's breakdown on Yahoo Sports ^[2].

LaMelo Ball set the tone. He scored 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including 6-of-10 from 3-point range, with nine assists and two steals in just 25 minutes ^[2]. Bones Hyland was even hotter off the bench, scoring a game-high 24 points on 7-of-10 shooting, 5-of-6 from deep, with eight assists in 23 minutes ^[2]. KSTP noted Hyland made all three of his first-half 3-pointers ^[1].

Ayo Dosunmu added 18 points, Jaden McDaniels had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Jonathan Kuminga chipped in 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists ^[2]. Young big man Joan Beringer had 13 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, and Rudy Gobert added nine points and six rebounds in 23 minutes ^[2].

How It Got Away From Dallas

The Wolves opened with a 12-0 run in the first quarter and led 34-26 after one, according to Ball Exclusives' recap on Yardbarker ^[3]. They shot 61% in the first half and took a 67-52 lead into the locker room ^[1].

Then the third quarter turned a comfortable lead into a blowout. Minnesota opened the second half on a 17-4 run, highlighted by a Ball alley-oop to Gobert, to go up 84-56, and outscored Dallas 36-17 in the period ^[1]. The Wolves owned the inside, too, outscoring the Mavericks 74-42 in the paint and outrebounding them 50-38 ^[2].

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Dallas shot just 37%, per KSTP ^[1]. Zaccharie Risacher led the Mavericks with 22 points off the bench, and Naji Marshall added 13 points and four assists ^[3]. Cooper Flagg, coming off a 43-point night against Indiana in his previous game, was held to 12 points, and Kyrie Irving scored 10 ^[1]. Flagg came into the night averaging 25.9 points per game, according to ESPN ^[5].

The Mavericks were short-handed as well, with center Dereck Lively II among several players listed out before tip-off ^[4][5].

Where They Stand

Minnesota improved to 9-3, good for fourth in the West, with five straight wins, and it has now beaten Dallas seven straight times ^[1][3]. Dallas fell to 7-5 and eighth in the conference ^[3].

Neither team has long to dwell on it. The Wolves host the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night, and the Mavericks visit the Cleveland Cavaliers the same evening ^[1][3].

My Take

There is an old coaching line that the ball moves faster than any player, and the Timberwolves preached that sermon Thursday night. A team missing its star could have stood around waiting for a hero. Instead, Minnesota passed up good shots for great ones and let everybody eat.

That is a character trait, not just a strategy. Unselfish teams trust each other, and trust is what carries a group through a long winter and into the spring. When Edwards returns, Minnesota will be adding a star to a team that has already learned how to win without one.

Dallas will be fine. One bad night in November does not define a season, and a young talent like Flagg will have plenty more nights like the one he just had against Indiana. But the Mavericks learned Thursday that nobody in the West is going to hand them anything.