Timberwolves at Mavericks
Kristaps Porzingis is expected back in the lineup and All-Star Luka Doncic could return after a one-game absence when the Dallas Mavericks host the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night. Porzingis sat out Saturday’s 111-107 loss at Atlanta to rest while Doncic (29 points, 9.6 rebounds, 8.6 assists per game) missed the game with ankle soreness and is questionable for the matchup with the Timberwolves.
The Mavericks, who are just 3-4 in their last seven contests but sit seventh in the Western Conference, suffered another injury within the first minute Saturday as guard Jalen Brunson went down with a dislocated right shoulder and they coughed up a 14-point lead after one quarter. “We’re undermanned, we lose Brunson on the first play of the game,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told reporters. “We showed a lot of heart. We, a little bit, ran out of gas in the fourth quarter, but the fight was there the whole time and I’m real proud of the group. Just real disappointed of the way it ended.” Minnesota has lost four straight and 17 of its last 18 contests after falling 128-116 at Denver on Sunday night, giving up 73 points in the first half and allowing the Nuggets to shoot 58.9 percent from the field. D’Angelo Russell (knee), who is averaging 22 points in three games since being acquired from Golden State, sat out the Timberwolves’ latest defeat but could be back in the lineup Monday.
TIME: 8:30 p.m. ET. TV: FS North, FS Southwest, TSN
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (16-39): Seven players scored in double figures Sunday and rookie small forward Kelan Martin led the way with a season-high 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field. Former Florida State standout Malik Beasley added 17 on Sunday and is averaging 22 points in five games since being acquired from Denver, while guard Jordan McLaughlin recorded his second double-double in five contests by scoring 15 and dishing out 10 assists against the Nuggets. Rookie power forward Naz Reid has scored in double figures five of the last six contests, averaging 12.7 points during that stretch.
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (34-23): Porzingis is averaging 26.3 points over his last three games to push his season mark to 18.6 and the 7-3 Latvian is adding 9.1 rebounds per contest while guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (15.1 points) has scored a total of 101 in his last four outings. Guard Seth Curry fought through right knee soreness to play Saturday and contributed 22 points to boost his average in February to 17.4 after managing just six in the win at Orlando on Friday. Guard Delon Wright poured in 14 points in the loss at Atlanta, his highest output in 11 games dating back to Jan. 27 when he scored the same versus Oklahoma City.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Minnesota’s leading scorer and rebounder F Karl-Anthony Towns is out indefinitely with a fractured wrist.
2. Dallas F Justin Jackson had 10 points and eight rebounds Saturday after averaging 4.2 and 1.5, respectively, in the previous six games.
3. Doncic had 22 points in a 121-114 victory over Minnesota on Dec. 4 - the third win in the last four meetings.