Wolves triumphant in payback victory over Mavericks

A franchise that owned a 16-game losing streak twice in its history, these Timberwolves now haven't lost more two games consecutively since 2021 turned to 2022.

They ensured that this time with Friday's 116-95 home victory over the Mavericks. It came four days after a two-point loss in Dallas and two days after a disappointing home loss to NBA-best Phoenix.

"We got the job done," Wolves star center Karl-Anthony Towns said. "I'm very proud that after adversity we responded in a big way. The one thing I like about this team so much is this team holds grudges. I like that."

Towns credited coach Chris Finch's spirited film session, a fiery practice and plenty of group chat text exchanges between players for Friday's bounce-back performance.

All five starters scored in double figures led by Towns' 20 points. Guard Jordan McLaughlin provided scoring and spunk off the bench with a 16-point performance. And everybody from gutsy guard Patrick Beverley to big-man Towns helped hold Mavericks star Luka Doncic to "just" 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.

The Wolves lost six straight early in the season and five straight in December, but are 11-3 in their last 14 games and have lost consecutive games just twice since Jan. 27.

"They've done a pretty good job not allowing one loss to lead to another," Finch said. "They rally themselves really, really well."

Included was a third quarter when the Wolves held Dallas to 17 points and scored 28 themselves on their way to a 25-point fourth-quarter lead.

"When you lose games, you've got to be able to respond to adversity quick, especially if we're going to be in the playoffs and talking about winning a championship," Towns said. "I don't know, I'm not a historian, but I don't think any team has won 16 straight wins in my mind. I don't think that's going to happen. You're going to lose a game so you'll have to be able to respond."

Star-studded Golden State swept Portland, Utah and San Antonio in the 2017 playoffs and beat the Cavaliers in five NBA Finals games, with their only loss coming in Game 4 at Cleveland.

The Moses Malone and Julius Erving-led Philadelphia 76ers went 12-1 in the 1983 playoffs. Their only loss came to Milwaukee in Game 4 of the five-game Eastern Conference finals before they swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA finals.

The Wolves themselves have responded to a loss three times since just before the All-Star break by winning the next time out — and failed doing so once, this week.

"I feel for us it started before All-Star," Towns said. "We just had a confidence that was brewing and growing bigger every day and we saw the results. It came through the work, came through the results. We come in trusting each other and believing we can really do this, staying confident and humble as well."

They've done so aching and banged-up, with Towns, Anthony Edwards and Jarred Vanderbilt all playing through injuries. Forward Naz Reid limped to the locker room briefly in Friday's second quarter but returned to play on.

The Wolves lost guard Malik Beasley to a sprained left ankle in Friday's second quarter.

He left the game after he played 12 minutes and did not return.

Towns called himself and his team "humbled" by Monday's 110-108 loss at Dallas and Wednesday's home loss to the Suns with one of the top six playoff spots at stake.

"We thought we couldn't be beaten," Towns said. "We didn't close the game the way we usually have."

So the Wolves brought their grudges to Target Center on Friday and walked away winners.

"Like forever," Towns said when asked how long his team has held such things. "I don't think it's a secret. We've definitely been holding grudges for a while. We hear the chatter. We just want to go out there and play competitive basketball against the best and we feel we're the best. That's the confidence that you need."