Wolves withstand furious comeback to beat Mavericks

Field Level Media|published: Wed 25th December, 17:22 2024

NBA: Minnesota Timberwolves at Dallas Mavericks

Dec 25, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) passes the ball by Dallas Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie (26) during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Anthony Edwards scored 26 points and the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves beat Dallas 105-99 on Wednesday, with the Mavericks playing the second half without star Luka Doncic after he sustained a left calf strain late in the second quarter.

Doncic suffered the non-contact injury with 2:31 left in the second quarter and went straight to the locker room. The guard had 14 points in 16 minutes for Dallas, which was trailing 51-38 at the time of his injury.

Dallas fell behind by as many as 28 in the third quarter before mounting a Kyrie Irving-led comeback in the final period. The Mavericks cut the deficit to 101-99 on Klay Thompson's 3-pointer with 1:05 remaining.

Thompson scored 12 points and made four 3-pointers to pass Reggie Miller (2,560) for fifth on the NBA's all-time career 3-pointers list with 2,562.

Irving scored 15 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter but missed a 3-pointer that would have given Dallas the lead with 37 seconds left. Edwards scored on Minnesota's next possession to give the Wolves a four-point lead, and Dallas native Julius Randle hit two free throws to seal the victory.

Minnesota snapped a three-game losing streak while shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 14 of 32 (43.8 percent) from 3-point range.

Randle finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Rudy Gobert added 14 points and 10 rebounds, Donte DiVincenzo scored 11 points off the bench, and Mike Conley had 10.

Quentin Grimes scored 10 points and Dereck Lively II had 10 rebounds for Dallas, which trailed by two at the end of the first quarter.

The Wolves closed the first half on a 12-2 run and led 57-40 at halftime after holding Dallas without a field goal in the final 5:46 of the second quarter.

Edwards, Gobert and Randle combined for 34 points in the first half for the Wolves, who held the Mavericks to 32.6 percent shooting in the half, including 8 of 24 (33.3 percent) from beyond the arc.

The Wolves led 90-68 at the end of the third quarter before Dallas began its comeback by opening the fourth quarter on a 10-1 run.

--Field Level Media

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