NBA
Timberwolves vs Mavericks: Western Conference Powerhouses Collide on Christmas
The matchup slated to take place in Dallas at the American Airlines Center, will be a rematch of the 2023/2024 Western Conference Finals which saw the Mavericks emerge victorious four games to one.
Luka Doncic dribbles the ball against Jaden McDaniels//Getty Images
The present and future of the NBA will be pitting against each other, with marquee superstar talent locking hands to try and grab the bragging rights, and position themselves higher up the congested Western Conference standings.
This game speaks for itself. Anthony Edwards who has been dubbed as the next face of the league will look to top one of his serious rival for the crown i.e. Luca Doncic, who continues to amaze with his eye-catching displays on the hardwood.
How is the season so far for both teams?
Things are not going as expected for the Minnesota Timberwolves, since they have glaring team chemistry issues that seem to affect their performance. As a result, they are currently out of playoffs contention after 20 games. The Dallas Mavericks, on the other hand, have been blowing hot and cold, given that they are still lagging behind in the 5th place on the standings. They were expected top the Western Conference, after making last season’s NBA finals and having the biggest offseason addition.
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks haven’t lived up to the billing so far this season, with an 11-8 record that sees them sit on eighth place in the Western Conference standings.
Much was expected from the team after making it to the NBA Finals last season, coupled up with one of the best offseason roster shakeups. However, to say things haven’t gone to plan would be an understatement.
The addition of Klay Thompson was supposed to add elite shooting on the wings, which was one of their kryptonite last season However, their performance at the finals against the Boston Celtics was lukewarm.
Naji Marshall and Spencer Dinwiddie have ignited the rotation unit but still the Mavericks are far from where they would like to be mostly, as a result of chemistry issues and injuries. Their franchise player Luca Doncic has missed games due to a wrist strain but his backcourt star partner Kyrie Irving has had to hold the fort in his absence.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves aren’t lighting the world on fire as they sit in 12th position in the Western Conference Standings with a dismal 8-10 record. They were expected to become a jurganut, especially considering they possessed one of the most balanced rosters in the NBA.
Franchise player Anthony Edwards has started the season on fire, as his game appears to take a significant growth. Last year’s defensive player of the year, Rudy Gobert is still on the same trajectory as last year.
Last year’s Sixth man of the year, Naz Reid continues to provide buckets in bunches from the bench, as Jaden McDaniels continues to provide elite defense on the wing.
Chemistry has been the biggest issue for the Timberwolves, as new additions such as Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and rookie Rob Dillingham continue to adapt to coach Chris Finch’s schemes.
Many fans and pundits are beginning to question the Timberwolves trade, with the New York Knicks that saw star center Karl Anthony Towns depart to the big Apple, especially after he has fit like a duck to water.
This will be the Minnesota Timberwolves’s third Christmas day matchup in the franchise history, while the Dallas Maverick will be playing in their eighth Christmas day game in franchise history.
What to Expect from the Matchup?
Kyrie Irving dribbles the ball against Nickeil Alexander-Walker//Getty Images
As already highlighted, top tier star power will be on showcase on Christmas day in Dallas. Doncic and Kyrie Irving got the better of the Wolves in the playoffs, and in their first matchup this season at Target Center on Oct. 29. Minnesota will be hungry for revenge in front of a national audience.
Timberwolves will be looking to circumvent a tricky December fixture list before their showdown against Dallas. The team has experienced frustrating losses on route to their 8-10 record at the start of the season. Anthony Edwards has called for the team to get tougher and avoid growing apart.
In hindsight though, some would blame the new CBA as responsible for bringing apart last season’s devastating core since it is shown to contain punishing restrictions for teams that go well above the luxury-tax line.
The Mavericks on the other hand are slowly working up the standing. It will focus on getting healthy as a team in order to build better chemistry.
The Mavericks schedule is easier on paper compared to that of the Timberwolves but they still have to suit up and win games.
Dallas will hope to continue their recent dominance over the Timberwolves, with a potential post-season matchup, which will be a massive advantage.
Ian Mugo Wanyeki is based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a sports enthusiast with vast knowledge of different sport disciplines. Ian is a graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Kenyatta University. He is a Kenyan journalist who’s worked as a sports analyst at Covenant Television Network, as a sports reporter at NTV and as a Sports Correspondent/contributor at Quartz Africa.