Timberwolves eager to reclaim momentum against ailing Mavs

Anthony Edwards is excited to bring his NBA All-Star Game MVP trophy back to Minnesota.

Timberwolves fans welcome Edwards and his teammates back when they tip off against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night in Minneapolis. It is the first game since the All-Star break for both teams, who appear headed in different directions as the postseason approaches.

Edwards hopes that more trophies will follow, especially team trophies.

"It means a lot," Edwards said. "I love Minnesota, and I know Minnesota loves me. I said I wasn't going to put on a show for them, but I gave them a show. Appreciate y'all, Minnesota."

Minnesota won two consecutive games before the break and holds the sixth spot in the Western Conference standings. Before NBA action resumed Thursday night, only 1 1/2 games separated the Timberwolves from the third-place Denver Nuggets in the playoff race.

The Timberwolves brought back a familiar face to add bench depth as they look to improve their playoff seed. They re-signed veteran guard Mike Conley during the break and he rejoined the team for practice Thursday.

Conley averaged 4.4 points and 2.9 assists in 44 games (nine starts) with Minnesota earlier this season. The Timberwolves traded him on Feb. 3 to the Chicago Bulls, who subsequently flipped Conley to the Charlotte Hornets. He didn't play for either team.

The Hornets bought out Conley's contract, which cleared the way for Minnesota to bring him back.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said he would be open-minded about when and how to reinsert Conley into the team's rotation. Ayo Dosunmu, acquired in that Feb. 3 deal with the Bulls, has averaged 14.7 points and 28.0 minutes since his arrival and has forged chemistry with Bones Hyland.

"I think everything is on the table right now," Finch said. "We've got some things to work through. Those two guys, Ayo and Bones, have been great, no doubt about it. They're a nice little combination, too. We've just got to take it day by day. ... We don't have anything pre-scripted."

As the Timberwolves look to build momentum after the break, the Mavericks are focused on how best to position themselves for next season and beyond.

Dallas arrives in Minnesota on a nine-game losing streak and, hypothetically, eager for its first victory since Jan. 22.

Impact rookie Cooper Flagg has provided a bright spot for the Mavericks by averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in 49 starts. But a foot sprain forced Flagg to miss the league's All-Star activities, and he will not play Friday against the Timberwolves.

Dallas also will miss Kyrie Irving, who was ruled out of the remainder of the season this week as he recovers from a torn ACL.

"This decision wasn't easy, but it's the right one," Irving said in a statement posted on the team's website. "I am looking forward to coming back stronger next season. The belief and drive I have inside only grows."

This is the third of four meetings between the teams this season. Minnesota won each of the first two matchups by scores of 120-96 on Nov. 17 and 118-105 on Jan. 28.

--Field Level Medi