DALLAS – Wednesday’s 115-114 Timberwolves victory over the Mavericks provided a glimpse of what could have been for the Wolves over the inconsistent first half of the season but what could still turn around for them in the second half.
Timberwolves turn back a final push, overcome shorthanded Dallas
Minnesota’s lead of nine points at about the three-minute mark was down to one in the final seconds.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
January 23, 2025 at 3:21AM
Anthony Edwards had an inefficient night shooting (6-for-19, 21 points), and the Wolves were down Donte DiVincenzo against the shorthanded Mavericks, who were without Luka Doncic, Klay Thompson and Dereck Lively.
Even against a team as banged up as Dallas, which still had Kyrie Irving (36 points), the Wolves might be prone to lose when Edwards has such a night. But they pulled out a win Wednesday because two players who have struggled to get going offensively showed up in a big way — Jaden McDaniels and Mike Conley.
First there was McDaniels, who had a career high 27 points on 10-for-18 shooting. He also stuffed the stat sheet in other ways: eight rebounds, four steals, three blocks. He overcame early foul trouble that might have derailed his game earlier in his career to have his best night of the season. The Wolves (23-21) need it after he has started the season shooting 45% overall and 33% from three-point range.
“Staying aggressive through misses and makes, having a short-term memory,“ McDaniels said. “Just being in the right spots at the right time, and trusting my touch.”
McDaniels attacked in transition often in the first half and helped the Wolves awaken from a sleepy first quarter in which they scored just 17 points. He then had a key three-pointer and a dunk late as the Wolves piled up enough of a lead (111-102) to hold on despite choppy offense and poor defensive rebounding that allowed Dallas back in the game down the stretch.
The Mavericks (23-21) were within three when Irving missed a three-pointer that would’ve tied the game with five seconds to play. McDaniels then hit one of two free throws to ice the game before Irving made some bettors mad and others happy with an otherwise meaningless three at the buzzer.
“He’s been playing his best basketball the last couple weeks,” coach Chris Finch said of McDaniels. “He did it in all different ways. Super active on the glass. He made big shots at the end of the clock, finished well around the hoop. Guarded his tail off, as he always does.”
Then there was Conley, who commanded the third quarter for the Wolves. He had eight of his 18 points and five of his eight assists in the third to keep the Wolves in the lead before they pushed it to double digits in the fourth.
The 37-year-old had a rocky beginning to the season as he dealt with a right wrist injury in the offseason that hampered his ability to train. Just over halfway through the season, Conley said he is finally starting to feel comfortable, even as he has dealt with coming out of and then re-entering the starting lineup following the injury to DiVincenzo.
“We got to be able to be consistent in that manner,” Conley said. “All of us, we’re not all going to shoot the ball well every night, but if we give ourselves good looks and easier opportunities, I think more so than not we’re going to play our best basketball and play confident in our schemes and what we do.”
Added Julius Randle, with a smile: “He’s starting to really turn the corner and find his rhythm. He’s old as hell, so it takes older people a little bit longer.”
Randle (16 points, six rebounds) said that everybody in the Wolves locker room has been frustrated at one time or another with how the season has gone.
“That just shows you who he is as a person and a player in this locker room, what he means to this team,” Randle said. “He keeps everyone level-headed. Mike’s amazing.”
Conley joked that he was trying to get everyone else on the team going through their own struggles and found he was neglecting himself. He got back to being the Mike Conley of old Wednesday, old age or not.
“They know how much I care about the guys and just trying to make sure this team doesn’t flip the other way,” Conley said. “Because I’ve been on teams where we had rocky starts and be frustrated and expectations and things don’t go your way, teams start to splinter and you start to break up.
“This team is too good and too talented to do that. Just trying to keep the guys together and positive. Hopefully it’ll work out.”
Jimmy Butler was suspended by the Miami Heat for the second time in three weeks, a move that adds to the possibility he has already played his final game for the franchise.
