Dallas fielded its JV team Wednesday in Minneapolis, but Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Derek Lively II and Dante Exum are all dealing with injuries.
Throw this in the trash immediately and never talk about it again.
The Mavericks (26-22) junior varsity team held on for three fourth quarters against the Minnesota Timberwolves (34-14) before a quiet night, 121-87, at Target Center.
Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Derek Lively II, Dante Exum and Derrick Jones Jr. were all sidelined with injuries through the last of four games against the Timberwolves, but the win gave Minnesota They won the season series from Dallas with 3 wins and 1 loss. .
Despite the chaos and lineup shuffling, Josh Green led the Mavs with 18 points on 2-of-2 3-point shooting, turning the ball over while taking on more ball-handling and playmaking duties. He only went over once every 30 minutes. Against one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. He and the rest of the starting pitchers (if you can call them that) sat out the final six minutes of the fourth inning with both benches emptied in a blowout loss.
In the end, Dallas didn't have an answer for the twin towers of Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert. The dynamic duo masterminded a porous and ill-equipped Mavs defense, totaling 46 points and 15 rebounds. Towns led all scorers with 29 points and nine boards in just 31 minutes against the Mavs.
Here are two statistics that greatly overshadowed the Mavs' yet another tough loss to a top-ranked team in the NBA. If you really want a third, the Mavs were completely dominated by the Timberwolves on the boards, 58-41, but isn't that what most expected? You don't need to worry too much about this. It's becoming a shame that the best players on this roster haven't been able to play together as much this season. It's a shame that good teams are often relegated to such throwaway players in the Western Conference competition for position.
6 of 29 made: Lowest 3-point shot of the season
Jaden Hardy #1 of the Dallas Mavericks walks to the basket during a game while Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves plays defense at Target Center on January 31, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images
Believe it or not, all this hodgepodge version of the Mavs needed to make something really interesting against Minnesota was a pretty average shooting night. Instead, Dallas made a total of 6-of-29 from 3-point range in the loss. This is a truly terrible 20.7%.
The six 3-pointers were a season low for Dallas. That inefficiency beyond the arc was the main reason for another season-low record. Dallas' 87 points was also their worst offensive performance so far this year. The Mavs made just seven 3-pointers in games against Houston on Dec. 22 and at home against Minnesota on Dec. 14. The Mavericks have now had a very poor shooting night in their last three games, losing by a combined score of 362. -287. That's a funny minus 75.
Granted, some of the Mavericks' best shooters were out on Wednesday, but none of the shooters on standby were able to capitalize on the extra opportunities. As a result, the Mavericks never really threatened to win the game, even though they held the lead for most of the third quarter.
Here's a moment late in the third quarter that kind of summed up the night. With 2:10 left and Dallas leading 81-67, Green hit a 3-pointer down the wing that hit the back rim. Miraculously, the Mavericks got the offensive board, giving them some new life in what could have been a pivotal moment had the Mavericks stayed in this situation.
Instead, Jaden Hardy airballed a 3-pointer from the other side, and Dallas was down 83-70 going into the fourth. It was a plus-9 third quarter for the T-Wolves, but this version of the Mavericks wasn't built for a double-digit fourth-quarter comeback. As things progressed, everything fell apart.
3/18: The shooter did not shoot.
Tim Hardaway Jr., No. 10 of the Dallas Mavericks, takes a shot during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on January 31, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images
If Tim Hardaway Jr., Jaden Hardy or Seth Curry had gotten hot or had a mild injury, the Mavs could have had a shot all the way against the Timberwolves. But the loss was uglier than it needed to be, as those three combined to make 3-of-18 3-point shots.
Hardaway scored 14 points on 5-of-16 shooting and an incredible 2-of-10 from deep. Curry somehow played just 17 minutes and finished with nine points on 0-for-3 shooting from 3-point range. Hardy was middling with 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting and only made 1-of-5 3-pointers.
This is fine, but let's move. Hopefully the Mavs can get two full days of rest before Saturday's home game against the Bucks and field a more competitive team.
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