According to the normal development trend, the Timberwolves, who could only hover on the edge of the playoffs last season, will not be able to compete as the strongest dark horse in the West in the new season without large-scale operation. But in fact, the Timberwolves will create such a miracle and stabilize the throne of the Western hegemony for a long time. During this period, Towns, the most questioned center on their team, is no longer a soft-footed shrimp, full of passion on the offensive end, and can also cause more than 2 offensive fouls per game.
In addition, in the process of forming the inside twin towers with Gobert, it brought a lot of pressure to the star players who stormed the penalty area. Suffice it to say, even if the Timberwolves make the playoffs in the future, they maintain a tough defensive efficiency and are not afraid of any team. And in this game, the Timberwolves, who returned to play at home, ushered in the challenge of the Dallas Mavericks. To be sure, their Eastern European duo were all sidelined for this game, and the Timberwolves did not give them a chance to win, winning 118-110 in aggregate.
In the first quarter of the game, the Timberwolves, who were playing at home, took the lead in entering the state, thus gaining the initiative to lead the score. Edwards shot 5-of-7 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, delivering 14 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal, while Towns also handed over 6 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists, and Gobert, who had 6 points and 4 rebounds, helped the team to a 37-26 score and an 11-point lead. And entering the second quarter of the showdown, the Mavericks, who were behind in the score, could also launch a strong counterattack. Hardaway, who came off the bench, stepped up and delivered 8 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist on 3-of-4 shooting and 1-of-1 free throws, while Curry Jr. also handed over 6 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist to help the team play a 30-24 score and narrow the gap to 5 points.
In the second half of the matchup, the Timberwolves, who still maintained the score lead, never gave the Mavericks a chance to fight back. In the third quarter of the competition, Edwards played 12 minutes of the game, shooting 4 of 7 and 6 of 7 free throws, and delivered a crucial 16 points, leading the team to a score of 37-35, extending the difference to 7 points. In the final quarter of the decisive game, the Timberwolves did not drag their feet, played a 20-19 score, and won the game with an overall score of 118-110.
As the No. 1 Timberwolves team in the West, it is really unreasonable. Their starting five Tigers all scored in double figures in this game, and Edwards even played 38 minutes, shooting 6-of-11 from three-point range and 12-of-23 from the field, delivering a game-high 44 points, as well as 3 rebounds and 4 assists. Towns also had 10 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists, as well as Gobert who handed in 20 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists, and Conley who handed in 10 points, 2 rebounds and 6 assists. In addition, McDaniels also has a 12-point scoring output. And Li Kaier, who came off the bench, also performed very eye-catching, delivering 8 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists, and set a new personal season high in single-game rebounds.
On the other hand, the Mavericks, who lost away from home, were absent from their Eastern European combination, and the team still showed tenacity and failed to achieve the final victory, thus suffering two consecutive defeats, which is not ashamed at all. Jones played in 30In 5 minutes, he also delivered 15 points and 9 rebounds, and Hardy also contributed 17 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. Hardaway, who came off the bench, even made 5 of 11 three-pointers and 11 of 19 shots in a single game, scoring a game-high 32 points, as well as 3 rebounds and 3 assists. In addition, Powell also shot 6-of-8 and delivered 12 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists.