Mavs Game Observations: Game 30 vs Timberwolves [Game of the Week]
A blue Christmas: lost Luka, lost a game after a huge comeback
This was definitely not the Christmas game the Mavericks and their fans had hoped for. Dallas fell 105-99 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the loss wasn’t the biggest bummer of the night.
Late in the first half, Luka Dončić suffered a calf injury that could sideline him for an extended period. Dončić is set to undergo an MRI today, but based on what I’ve seen and heard so far, the outlook doesn’t seem too optimistic.
The injury seemed to drain the energy from both the Mavericks and the American Airlines Center. Dallas fell behind by as much as 28 points late in the third quarter. Yet, the team once again showed pride and resilience. Behind another special performance from Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks mounted a furious comeback that brought them within striking distance, only to fall short in the final minute.
Today’s notes:
Another Luka injury blow
A step too slow for three quarters
Bigs struggling with physicality...again
No Luka, no advantages, no stops, no pace
Fourth quarter adjustment and another special Kyrie run (🎞VIDEO)
1-Another Luka injury blow
Dončić’s injury, in just his second game back, is a tough blow for both the Mavericks and Luka himself. We’ll have to wait for the MRI results, but it looks like he could miss extended time. This injury on its own wouldn’t be too concerning, but when you consider his recent history with lower leg injuries, it’s a lot harder to ignore.
Dončić has already missed eight games this season with various injuries, including a right knee contusion, wrist sprain, and left heel contusion. This is also his third calf strain in recent years; he missed all of this year's training camp and preseason because of a left calf contusion, and similar injuries sidelined him during the 2022 playoffs and 2023 preseason. Mounting calf injuries should be a big enough warning sign for Dončić—his body condition and preparation need to be priorities for the remainder of the season and his career.
As for the Mavericks’ short-term implications, this team has shown it has enough talent and depth to stay afloat—and even keep winning—without their superstar. However, the increasing load on Kyrie Irving could have long-term effect.
2-A step too slow for three quarters
In my preview, I highlighted the Timberwolves’ deep struggles on offense, so watching them break out of that slump by scoring 90 points through three quarters (or 130 points per 100 possessions in advanced terms) against the Mavericks was disappointing.
The Mavericks chose to show two defenders on Anthony Edwards picks from the start and stuck with that approach for most of the night. Yet, they still had too many breakdowns—like Thompson going under a screen or Gafford sagging a step too deep. So, Edwards still managing to score 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting through the first three quarters despite the added attention, along with the Mavericks scrambling in 4-on-3 rotations was far from ideal.
Especially because the Mavericks’ defenders—Washington, Lively, Gafford, Kleber, Grimes, and Marshall—weren’t doing enough defensive playmaking to disrupt those rotations. Yes, the Timberwolves opened the game hot from three (shooting 14-of-26, or 54 percent, through three quarters), but there were far too many easy drive-bys against closeouts and not nearly enough physicality on Gobert’s rolls at the backline.
3-Bigs struggling with physicality...again
Speaking of physicality, or the lack of it, this was a recurring theme and an issue once again. I’ve been writing about this all season long, most recently after the struggles against Ivica Zubac in the first Clippers game. While things occasionally improve—sometimes even look great against less physical teams like the Trail Blazers—they resurface and bite the Mavericks again against another physical, elbow-dealing big like Rudy Gobert last night.
Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford combined for just six points last night, while Gobert put up a 14-point, 10-rebound, 2-block performance. The Frenchman, along with other Timberwolves, pushed the Mavericks’ big men around in the paint for most of the night. Other Timberwolves added several small bumps on lob attempts, which turned what could have been lob dunks into frustrating Mavericks turnovers.
Most of those bumps could have been called fouls, as should many of Gobert’s hits, but the reality is that in a high-profile, physical game, most won’t be. The Mavericks’ bigs need to eventually start dishing out the same level of punishment.
4-No Luka, no advantages, no stops, no pace
Another point I highlighted in the preview was that Minnesota is back on track to being a terrifying defensive team, and the best way for the Mavericks to score would be by getting stops and capitalizing in transition or early offense.
Throughout the first three quarters, the Mavericks didn’t get enough stops, and the game slowed into the kind of half-court battle the Timberwolves prefer. At 92 possessions per 48 minutes, this game tied for the slowest-paced Mavericks game of the season.
Without Dončić to force the Timberwolves into rotations, Irving was the lone Maverick who commanded special attention, leading to a lot of long mid-range and three-point shots. Add to that the Mavericks’ bigs not doing any damage inside or on the offensive glass, and you get the game with the fewest points in the paint for Dallas this season.
Spencer Dinwiddie (0-of-7 from the floor), Naji Marshall (1-of-3 shooting, 1 turnover, 0 assists), and Klay Thompson (4-of-12 shooting, 1 assist, 2 turnovers)—all of whom have stepped up as secondary creators at various points this season—failed to do that in this game.
5-Fourth quarter adjustment and another special Kyrie run
If the first three quarters were frustrating to watch, the turnaround in the final period delivered the special Christmas performance we were hoping for.
Jason Kidd turned to his "break in case of emergency" adjustment late in the third quarter, opting for a Washington-Kleber, no-center lineup. Kleber managed to break his shooting slump with a lucky bounce three-pointer. Then, in the fourth quarter, Kidd added Lively to the Washington-Kleber combo, going super big. The strategy involved switching most pick-and-rolls against Conley, Gobert, Randle and Reid—especially during stretches when Edwards was on the bench.
The Timberwolves cooled off from three, but a big part of that was the hustle plays and defensive playmaking we finally saw from the Mavericks’ best defenders. Lively (2 blocks, 1 steal), Washington (1 block, 1 steal), Grimes (1 block), and Thompson (1 block) all stepped up during this stretch, with the Mavericks turning the tables and becoming the enforcers on the defensive end.
None of this would have been possible without Kyrie Irving, who once again provided confidence and inspiration by doing special things on the offensive end.
The Mavericks finally getting stops allowed them to play a faster, more chaotic game—exactly the kind of environment where Kyrie thrives and works his magic. Irving scored 15 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter, nearly dragging the Mavericks to the finish line, but missed a potential go-ahead three-pointer with 37 seconds left.
In the end, a poor start and lack of support (Dončić remained the Mavericks’ second-leading scorer with 14 points despite playing only 16 minutes) were the reasons Kyrie’s special night didn’t turn into a Christmas miracle.