The Wolves beat the Mavericks 97-92 on Sunday night at Target Center. It marked Minnesota’s third win over Dallas this season and 16th overall. Here are three observations from the game.
Another Game, Another Double-Double
Center Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 28 points and 12 rebounds, marking his league-leading 21st double-double of the season.
Over the last two games, Towns is averaging 24.5 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, 2.5 steals and two blocks per game. The Wolves will certainly need him at his best on Tuesday night as they go up against Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Towns is averaging 20.1 points and 11. 6 rebounds per game, while Embiid is averaging 23.5 points and 11.1 rebounds.
Sweep The Mavericks?
The Wolves are 3-0 against the Mavericks this season. The next game between the two teams comes on March 30 in Dallas.
The last time the Wolves swept the Mavericks? 1995-96.
Sunday night also could have been Dirk Nowitzki’s last at Target Center. The future Hall of Famer has played in 65 career games against the Wolves, the most of any other player, just edging out Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Tim Duncan and Derek Fisher.
If that is the last time a Minnesota crowd was able to see Nowitzki, what a run it’s been.
Jimmy Continues To Do It All
With fresh new hair, Wolves wing Jimmy Butler had a great all-around game of 22 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Since Nov. 17, Butler’s performance has been All-Star worthy on both ends. He’s averaged 22.5 points, six rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 49.8 percent from the field, 39.6 percent from the 3-point line and 80.3 percent from the free-throw line.
His Basketball Reference score over that stretch is 19.2 while his season game score is at 16.
Butler has the Wolves at 16-11, fourth in the West, three games back from the Spurs and 1.5 games up on the Nuggets.
Minnesota is back at it Tuesday night against the 76ers. Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN, Fox Sports North and 830 WCCO.