Scouting Report | Wolves vs. Mavericks

After a four-game road trip which included an upset win over the Heat, the Timberwolves are back at home on Sunday afternoon to take on Luka Doncic and the Mavericks.

This is actually the second time in the last week the two teams have faced off. The Mavericks beat the Wolves 139-123 in Dallas on Monday.

The Timberwolves go into the game with a 17-41 record, 14th in the West. The Mavericks are 36-24, seventh in the West but just 4.5 games back from the No. 2 seed.

This is the third of four matchups between the two teams this season. They’ll face off again on April 1 at Target Center. 

Do you know who has been really good from the 3-point line in his eight games with the Timberwolves?

This headline should have given you some sort of a hint, but the correct answer is Juancho Hernangomez. Hernangomez is shooting 18-for-37 (48.6 percent) from the 3-point line since being traded to Minnesota. 

In 34 games prior to the trade from Denver, Hernangomez was shooting just 25 percent from deep.

So, why the sudden improvement?

Part of it is that Minnesota’s offense revolves more around the 3-point shot than Denver’s. Another is that Hernangomez is getting more time to find his groove with the Timberwolves, averaging 28.9 minutes per game compared to just 12.4 in Denver. 

No matter what the reason is, Timberwolves fans are hoping Juancho can keep the good times rolling. 

The NBA world has been without superstar Steph Curry due to a hand injury for the majority of the season, which is obviously a huge bummer.

But how about his brother?

Seth Curry is coming off a 39-point performance against the Heat on Friday night in which he shot 8-for-9 from the 3-point line. On the season, the Mavericks guard is shooting 44.8 percent from the 3-point line on 5.0 attempts per game. That percentage ranks third in the NBA behind only George Hill and J.J. Redick. 

Over his last three games, he’s been especially great, hitting 15-of-22 3-pointers.

In his career, Curry is shooting 44.2 percent from deep, which ranks second all-time behind only Steve Kerr. His older brother ranks fifth on the list, shooting 43.5 percent from deep. 

Wolves: Karl-Anthony Towns (wrist) is out.

Mavericks: Willie Cauley-Stein (personal), Jalen Brunson (shoulder) and Dwight Powell (Achilles) are out. 

Wolves: PG—Russell, SG—Beasley, SF—Okogie, PF—Hernangomez, C—Reid

Mavericks: PG—Doncic, SG – Curry, SF – Hardaway, PF – Finney-Smith, C - Porzingis