Timberwolves at Mavericks
While Minnesota welcomes back its star point guard, Dallas is prepared to press on without its own when the teams meet in Texas on Monday. Ricky Rubio, who has missed 42 games with an ankle injury, is expected to return for the Timberwolves, who have recently welcomed back shooting guard Kevin Martin and center Nikola Pekovic from long layoffs. Meanwhile, the Mavericks wait on the condition of Rajon Rondo, who left Saturday's 108-93 win in Orlando after taking a vicious knee to the face.
"That was as hard a hit as I’ve seen," Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki said of Rondo. "There will be some more testing, obviously, but he'll be OK." The Mavericks' win capped a 2-1 road trip for the NBA's leader in wins away from home (18), but they have lost three of their last four at home. Minnesota, which dropped a 98-75 decision at home against Dallas on Jan. 21, got a career-high 33 points from rookie Andrew Wiggins and 14 apiece from Martin and Pekovic in a 106-90 loss to Cleveland on Saturday.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (8-39): Rubio's return is important in the long term, as Minnesota wants its leader to finish strong, but also necessary at the current time. Veteran point guard Mo Williams has missed three straight games as he wrestles with a hip issue and rookie Zach LaVine sat out Saturday's loss with a sprained ankle. Recent addition Lorenzo Brown was forced to play all 48 minutes as the only healthy point guard against the Cavaliers, finishing with one point on 0-of-5 shooting while handing out nine assists.
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (32-17): Dallas was shorthanded elsewhere Saturday as forward Chandler Parsons missed his second straight game due to an illness, giving Richard Jefferson (14 points, 3-of-3 from 3-point range) another start. Monta Ellis did his part to fill in both voids, finishing with 25 points and a season-high 13 assists. Ellis had just seven points and three assists in 30 minutes at Minnesota last month but scored 30 in a 131-117 win against the Timberwolves at home earlier in the season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Nowitzki needs 10 3-pointers to tie Tim Hardaway for 20th on the all-time NBA list.
2. Martin is averaging 18 points while shooting 32.7 percent in three games since his return from a 35-game layoff due to a wrist injury.
3. Jefferson is averaging 12.5 points while shooting 56.3 percent in four games as a starter this season.