Mavericks vs Timberwolves Prediction 23 January 2025

🔊 Will the hosts be able to slow down the game? In the NBA regular season, Dallas will face Minnesota. The Mavericks are in a crisis due to Doncic's injury. They are forced to focus on defense. The "Wolves" are in optimal form, but predictions suggest slowed possessions - this reduces the number of shots. The "American Airlines Center" will witness an interesting but not very high-scoring clash.

📊 HEAD-TO-HEAD

The last meeting ended with a victory for Minnesota with a score of 105:99. Only in one of the last ten head-to-head games have the opponents scored 230+ points.

🔵 DALLAS MAVERICKS

The Mavericks continue to cope without their main star - Luka Doncic has been out for a long time. This has resulted in a series of very unpleasant results: 4 losses in the last 5 games. Above all, their offensive component looks terrible. On average this season, Dallas scores 115.2 points. But recently, they have only managed to reach this figure once - in a loss to the Pelicans with a score of 116:119. There was even a failure against the not-so-strong defense of the Hornets (105:110). We understand that against Minnesota, the hosts will focus on defense. They are still allowing 111.8 points per game, but Kidd has no other tactical solutions. A decent game under the basket might help. The hosts deliver 5.9 blocks per game - 4th in the NBA. There's an opportunity to trouble Gobert and Randle. Except for Irving, Dallas won't have weak spots in defense. Thompson and company can improve both on the perimeter and in the paint. Especially since in the last head-to-head meeting, Dallas allowed only 105 points.

⚪ MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

Minnesota is finding its game and only loses to really strong opponents: Memphis (106:108), Cleveland (117:124), and Warriors (115:116). It can be noted that in some situations, the Timberwolves score quite a lot. More than their season average (110). But we cannot assume high speeds and an increase in attempts. Moreover, the "Wolves'" attack sometimes boils down to Edwards' shots in the final seconds of possession. In terms of defensive actions, Minnesota ranks fifth in the championship: 108 points allowed per game. Three-point shooting at 38.3% is impressive, but playing away can bring its adjustments. For example, in a recent game against the "Grizzlies," the Timberwolves made only 32.6% of their long-range shots. Randle, Conley, and McDaniels threw "bricks" at the opponent's basket. This might happen again.

📝 EDITORIAL PREDICTION

Without their main star, Dallas lacks variability. In a single match, Irving can easily compile excellent personal statistics. This was exactly the case in the last game against the "Wolves" - 39 points. But the problem is the instability of his surroundings. If Doncic set up his teammates for ideal shots, then in the upcoming game, playmaking will be much less effective. The Timberwolves will take advantage of this. But the guests will also have to showcase their best skills, especially defensively. Not very high speeds and plenty of isolations minimize the likelihood of a wild shootout. The guests still have chances to win, but we cannot speak of high scoring from Finch's team. Our editorial suggests betting on Minnesota Timberwolves total under 108.5 points.