National Basketball Association
Minnesota 111, Dallas 105
When: 8:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 19, 2021
Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Officials: #64 Justin Van Duyne, #62 JB DeRosa, #71 Rodney Mott
Attendance: 16127

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 24 points, D'Angelo Russell added 22, and the Minnesota Timberwolves held on for a 111-105 win over the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night in Minneapolis.

Jaylen Nowell finished with 16 points off the bench for Minnesota, which has won four games in a row. Malik Beasley contributed 13 points and Jaden McDaniels tallied 12.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 28 points on 10-for-19 shooting for the Mavericks. Dorian Finney-Smith finished with 23 points on 9-for-13 shooting, and Jalen Brunson registered a double-double with 18 points and 11 assists.

The score was tied at 91 with 10 minutes remaining. Minnesota then went on a 12-6 run, capped by a McDaniels 3-pointer, to grab a 103-97 advantage with 4:29 to go.

The Timberwolves preserved the lead the rest of the way, as the closest Dallas got was 105-103 with 1:57 to play. Towns drained a 3-pointer 12 seconds later to extend the lead.

The Mavericks led 88-86 at the end of the third quarter. Dallas trailed by as many as nine points during the period but finished the quarter on an 18-7 run.

Minnesota built a 56-50 lead at the half.

The Timberwolves enjoyed a 13-0 run during the first quarter to transform a 13-9 deficit into a 22-13 lead. McDaniels started the run with a 3-pointer off an assist from Towns, and Russell punctuated it with a 3-pointer off a feed from Naz Reid.

Dallas battled back and eventually regained the lead midway through the second quarter. Brunson hit a pull-up jump shot to make it 35-34 in favor of the Mavericks with 7:41 to go.

The Timberwolves climbed back on top 56-46 with 26 seconds remaining in the half. But after Jarred Vanderbilt and head coach Chris Finch each drew a technical foul, the Mavericks sank four free throws before the break to pull back within six.

Timberwolves players Anthony Edwards and Taurean Prince each missed their second game in a row as they remained in COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Dallas missed seven players including Luka Doncic (left ankle), Willie Cauley-Stein (personal reasons), Josh Green (health and safety protocols), Reggie Bullock (health and safety protocols), Frank Ntilikina (illness), Eugene Omoruyi (right foot) and Sterling Brown (left foot).

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Dallas   Minnesota
Tim Hardaway Jr. 28 Scoring Karl-Anthony Towns 24
Jalen Brunson 11 Assists Karl-Anthony Towns 6
Maxi Kleber 14 Rebounds Jarred Vanderbilt 10
Kristaps Porzingis 9 Free Throws Made Karl-Anthony Towns 11
Tim Hardaway Jr. 2 Steals Naz Reid 2
Tim Hardaway Jr. 1 Blocks Patrick Beverley 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Dallas 105 43.9 12-41 21-22 27 41 2 5 12
Minnesota 111 46.8 15-34 24-31 26 37 3 6 9
Upcoming Games
  • Minnesota will play their next game on the road against Dallas. The Timberwolves have a W/L % of .643 after a win and .375 after a loss.
  • Dallas will play their next game at home against Minnesota. The Mavericks have a W/L % of .400 after a win and .571 after a loss.