After a slow start in which the Minnesota Timberwolves jumped out to 16-3 lead, the Dallas Mavericks regathered to handle the worst team in the league rather easily. Behind Kristaps Porzingis’ 29 points and nine rebounds, the Mavericks took down the Timberwolves, 128-108, to move to 23-19 on the season. Dallas is now 21-2 on the season when they build a double-digit lead.
Here are a few numbers to know from the win:
7: The number of Mavericks that scored in double digits
After a scintillating stretch of games, Luka Doncic fell back into a normal human’s stratosphere with 15 points, four rebounds, and four assists. Fortunately, six other Mavericks stepped up to the plate as Doncic received a well-rounded scoring effort from his teammates. Most notably, Tim Hardaway Jr. (21), Jalen Brunson (16), and Dwight Powell (16; season-high) combined for 53 points. The only player to play 10 minutes or more and score less than 10 points was Maxi Kleber (seven points).
Also 7: The Mavericks have made 15 triples in seven straight games
The team record is eight, so the Mavericks are knocking on the door of a franchise record. Hardaway paced the team with five made threes, and the starters combined to make 10 of the team’s 16 triples. Dallas lives and dies by the three. Tonight, they live.
15: The number of rebounds the Mavericks outrebounded the Timberwolves by
Dallas was all over the boards, collecting 14 offensive and dominating the defensive glass. Jalen Brunson (yes, that Jalen), led the way with 11, while Porzingis and Powell grabbed nine and eight, respectively. No Timberwolf registered more than five rebounds. Dallas has struggled on the glass at times, but it was nice to see the team beat up on an inferior opponent.