Minnesota Timberwolves vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction & Match Preview - December 21st, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Minnesota Timberwolves will face off against the Dallas Mavericks on the road at the American Airlines Center on December 21st. With their second matchup of the season being back-to-back, it should be interesting to see how both teams perform.
The Minnesota Timberwolves came out on top in the last meeting on December 19th. In a 111-105 win, the Timberwolves improved to 15-15 on the season. The Dallas Mavericks, on the other hand, find themselves at 14-15 as they head home for their redemption game.
Match Details
Fixture - Minnesota Timberwolves vs Dallas Mavericks | 2021-22 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Tuesday, December 21st, 2021; 8:30 PM ET (Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021; 7:00 AM IST)
Venue - American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
Coming off a solid win against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, the Minnesota Timberwolves finally managed to scratch the .500 mark. After suffering a series of losses through early December that saw the team put up a losing record, the Timberwolves seem to have turned things around.
Unfortunately, Minnesota will find themselves in a tough spot as they head to Dallas for Tuesday night's game. A large part of their success in Sunday's win against the Dallas Mavericks had to do with the contributions of their trio of Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell.
However, the side will be missing Edwards along with Patrick Beverley from their starting rotation due to COVID protocols. Additionally, three more players will be out due to protocols, including key role players such as Jarred Vanderbilt and Taurean Prince.
Minnesota's Jarred Vanderbilt and Patrick Beverley have entered COVID-19 health and safety protocols, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
The absence of five players from the roster leaves the team slightly shorthanded. They will have to find a way to rally together in order to keep their winning culture alive.
Key Player - Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns will be a key player for the Minnesota Timberwolves in this matchup. Towns has been playing at a high caliber this season and has been one of the best and most consistent performers on this young Timberwolves side.
Western Conference Player of the Week Karl-Anthony Towns led the @Timberwolves to 3-0 while averaging 28.0 PTS, 7.0 REB and 4.7 AST during Week 9! https://t.co/bJqjpVCgsF
Coming off another solid performance of 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists, Karl-Anthony Towns' overall contribution on the offensive end of the floor opened up a lot of options for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Heading into a rematch against the Dallas Mavericks, Towns will continue to be key. After dominating Kristaps Porzingis in the previous game, Towns will have to establish himself as a dominant presence in this game as well. Considering the absence of Anthony Edwards from the starting rotation, KAT and D'Angelo Russell will have to make up for the absence.
Minnesota Timberwolves Predicted Lineup
G - D'Angelo Russell | G - Jaylen Nowell | F - Malik Beasley | F - Jaden McDaniels | C - Karl-Anthony Towns
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavericks will be heading home after suffering a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. Although the game came extremely close with a dominant third quarter performance by Dallas, an equally dismal fourth quarter outing would see the side face defeat.
Tim Hardaway Jr. emerged as a key performer for the game as he put up 28 points in the losing effort. In the absence of a number of players, Hardaway Jr.'s scoring really aided Dallas in this venture.
Clear the lane for Tim Hardaway Jr. 😤 https://t.co/k9IRINAx6o
Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith also contributed significantly in this game. The issue remains the fact that the Dallas Mavericks bench sees very little contribution in the game. With the starters carrying the majority of the offensive load, the bench rotation has been quite weak.
Heading into this game against the Timberwolves, the Dallas Mavericks may see some additional struggles with injury. With Luka Doncic's extended absence, Maxi Kleber will continue to be unavailable. Kristaps Porzingis has also been listed as questionable for the game.
Key Player - Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson will be a key player for the Dallas Mavericks in this game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Brunson traditionally comes off the bench. However, in the absence of Luka Doncic, Dallas sees the guard step into the starting rotation. Brunson is a highly skilled point guard. Making use of some crafty moves, he has shown himself to be capable of making his own shots and scoring off open looks.
Jalen Brunson. AUTOMATIC 🤑
https://t.co/yS2UaUUHde
In Tuesday night's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Brunson might have an easier task in creating shots and plays considering the absence of Patrick Beverley defensively. Brunson will have to capitalize on this and find ways to get teammates involved in order to spearhead Dallas' offense early.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
G - Jalen Brunson | G - Tim Hardaway Jr. | F - Dorain Finney-Smith | F - Kristaps Porzingis | C - Dwight Powell
Timberwolves vs Mavericks Match Predictions
The Minnesota Timberwolves may have won their previous matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, but the same may not be the case in Tuesday's game.
Considering the number of key absences on their roster, the Timberwolves may have a tough time maintaining the intensity that keeps them competitive. Dallas will also enjoy home court advantage in this matchup.
Although Kristaps Porzingis' status is unknown, the Dallas Mavericks are favored to win this game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Where to watch Timberwolves vs Mavericks game?
The Minnesota Timberwolves vs Dallas Mavericks game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Southwest. The game will also be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can also listen to the game by tuning into 97.1 FM The Eagle.