The Timberwolves have lost six of their past eight games against the Dallas Mavericks. If the Wolves want to contend for a title, they will need to figure out a way to get past the Mavs.
Alright, Timberwolves Nation, if you’re still reeling from Tuesday’s loss to Dallas, you’re not alone. After last season’s playoff heartbreak against the Mavericks, we were all hoping this would be the time for a little revenge, a bit of Christmas come early. The Western Conference Finals were supposed to be a hard lesson learned, and with a couple of fresh faces, Minnesota looked ready to turn the page. But instead? The same story: Kyrie and Luka lighting us up, Mavericks players cutting to the rim for uncontested dunks, and the Wolves just…falling short. Again.
So here we are, and I don’t want to overreact (it’s October, people), but there’s no denying the Timberwolves have a Dallas problem. And until they figure it out, we’re going to see nights like Tuesday on repeat.
Let’s rewind to last season: When the Wolves went up 2-0 on Denver in the second round, we thought we were finally watching our team ascend to greatness. That playoff series against the Nuggets felt like the Wolves’ coming-of-age moment—a swarming defense suffocating Jokic, a relentless Ant-Man putting the team on his back, and the dream of Minnesota finally cracking the conference finals door. The Nuggets then proceeded to reel off three straight victories, pushing Minnesota to the brink before the Wolves ultimately stood their ground in Game 6. We all remember that epic Game 7, inarguably the most exciting game in franchise history, where the Wolves pulled off a 20-point comeback to dethrone the Nuggets. At that moment, it seemed that the team’s fate was written. This was Anthony Edwards’ Wrestlemania 3 moment. The young upstart had just body slammed his own personal Andre the Giant in Nikola Jokic, and Ant-amania was runnin’ wild! From there, the Dallas Mavericks were supposed to be an appetizer to the Finals, a blip before the showdown with Boston that we all had penciled in. But instead, the Mavs reminded us that Luka and Kyrie weren’t in Minnesota’s fairy tale plans.
Flash forward to Tuesday night: The script was eerily similar. We’d hoped fresh legs and a new lineup with Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo could shift the balance. Instead, it was the same show, different season. Kyrie went nuclear, Luka nailed his patented dagger, and Dallas kept getting wide-open looks and putbacks that crushed any Wolves momentum. A single basket in Game 1 last season or an unfortunate call in Game 2 may have been the difference between going up 2-0 versus 0-2, but make no mistake, the Wolves have yet to find an answer for the Mavs’ offense—and that’s putting their playoff future in serious jeopardy.
Here’s what went wrong, and what the Wolves need to do if they want any chance of breaking through Dallas come playoff time.
1. The Luka and Kyrie Conundrum This one’s obvious. The Wolves don’t have an answer for either of these guys, and that’s the whole problem. Sure, you can double one and hope to contain the other, but it seems like the moment Luka gets a break, Kyrie’s nailing threes. Anthony Edwards had one of those wild starts we live for—24 points in the first quarter, looking like he might go full Kobe or even make a run at Wilt’s legendary 100. And then? Crickets. Ant was scoreless in the second quarter and finished with just eight points across the last three quarters. Maybe it’s Dallas adjusting their defense, maybe it’s Ant needing a bit more help, but he’s got to put in a full game. Right now, if he doesn’t outshine both Luka and Kyrie, Minnesota’s chances go dim.
2. The Easy Buckets are Killing Us If you’re like me, you’ve seen enough open dunks from Dallas to last a lifetime. There’s nothing more demoralizing than watching the Wolves grind out a bucket, only to watch the Mavs score with ease at the other end. It’s not just Luka’s genius passing or Kyrie’s flashy ball-handling; it’s the constant wide-open looks for guys like Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford. Tuesday night was more of the same—Gafford went off for eight points in the early minutes of the first quarter alone, mostly uncontested. If you’re trying to beat Dallas, you can’t hand them 20 free points at the rim. That’s something Chris Finch and the coaching staff need to address ASAP, whether it’s changing matchups or adding more help defense. They need to keep Dallas out of the paint and force them to work for every shot.
3. Avoiding the Self-Inflicted Wounds It’s a cliché, but sometimes it’s the little things that kill. Turnovers were brutal on Tuesday, leading to 20-plus points for Dallas. When you’re playing Luka and Kyrie, you simply cannot hand them extra possessions and expect to stay competitive. And the missed free throws? Painful. Six of those freebies went begging from Ant, and they would’ve gone a long way in a game that was close until the final minutes. Then there’s rebounding—letting Dallas get second chances means more wide-open threes, and they made the Wolves pay for each one. Minnesota needs to treat the ball like gold and grab every board they can if they want any chance of beating Dallas.
The Path Forward Look, as bleak as this latest loss feels, there’s hope. Tuesday night was full of “what-ifs.” Make a few more free throws, avoid a couple of turnovers, or grab just a couple of extra rebounds, and this game might have ended differently. The pieces are there: Ant is a superstar in the making, Randle is bringing scoring and toughness, and with a bit of gelling, this team could still be a force. They just need to clean up the fundamentals, bring that defensive intensity from the Nuggets series, and quit handing Dallas free points.
Dallas has become our Lex Luthor, the nemesis we just can’t seem to shake. But if the Wolves can make some adjustments, there’s a shot at rewriting the ending. Next chance? Christmas Day in Dallas. Let’s hope Santa brings us a Wolves win, and not another lump of coal.