The Minnesota Timberwolves head into Thursday night’s meeting with the Dallas Mavericks carrying a shorter injury list, while Dallas brings four names into the game-day report.
Minnesota, which is 8-3, hosts the 7-4 Mavericks at Target Center with tipoff set for 8 p.m. ET on Nov.
- The Timberwolves have two players listed on their injury report.
Dallas has four players tagged day-to-day: Tarik Biberovic (heel), Sergio De Larrea (knee), Morez Johnson Jr. (leg) and Dereck Lively II (foot).
The Timberwolves have been rolling on both ends of the floor. They own a +122 scoring differential and are outscoring opponents by 11.1 points per game. Minnesota is putting up 118.1 points per game, good for sixth in the league, while holding teams to 107, also sixth-best in the NBA.
Minnesota’s edge shows up on the glass too. The Timberwolves average 48.8 rebounds per game, third in the league, and beat opponents on the boards by 5.4 per night. Rudy Gobert leads that effort with 12.1 rebounds per game, which ranks fourth in the NBA.
The perimeter numbers are strong as well. Minnesota is making 14.5 threes per game, ninth-most in the league, and shooting 37.3% from deep, eighth-best in the NBA.
Opponents are hitting just 11.1 threes per game at a 32% clip. LaMelo Ball is pacing the Timberwolves with 3.4 made threes per game, which ranks 13th in the league.
Ball also leads Minnesota in scoring at 18.3 points per game, with Ayo Dosunmu right behind at 18.1. Jaden McDaniels is averaging 17 points, while Jonathan Kuminga is contributing 12.3 points and Terrence Shannon Jr. is adding 11.1.
Dallas comes in with its own strong start, sitting at 7-4 with a +51 scoring differential. The Mavericks are scoring 114.9 points per game, 14th in the NBA, and allowing 110.3, which ranks ninth.
Cooper Flagg has been the headliner for Dallas so far. He leads the Mavericks with 25.9 points per game, a mark that ranks 10th in the league, and he’s also averaging 6.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 2.2 steals and 0.8 blocks. Kyrie Irving is next in line offensively at 22.9 points per game and is also Dallas’ top long-range threat, making 3.3 threes per game, 14th in the NBA.
P.J. Washington is averaging 14.6 points and a team-best 7.6 rebounds, while Naji Marshall is putting up 11.1 points and 4.5 assists. Santi Aldama has appeared in three games and is averaging 10 points and 5 rebounds.
Dallas is grabbing 44.6 rebounds per game, 12th in the league, and is out-rebounding opponents by 2.7 boards per night. The Mavericks are also making 12.4 threes per game, 20th in the NBA, while shooting 34.4% from deep. Their opponents are hitting 11.6 threes per game at a 31.7% clip.
In Other News...
Timberwolves Defense Is Forcing A Bigger Conversation About Their Ceiling
The early shape of Minnesotas season has been defined by a defense that has given opponents very little room to breathe. Even with Anthony Edwards missing several games, the Timberwolves have built an 8-3 start on the back of a unit that has consistently bothered ballhandlers, closed off clean looks from deep and made every possession feel like a grind.
What makes it more interesting is that this is no longer just about surviving while the offense finds its footing. The Wolves have been good enough on that end to force a bigger conversation about how high their ceiling can go if the defensive standard holds, especially once the roster is whole and the attack catches up. [Read more 🡒]
Ayo Dosunmu Explained Whats Fueling His Timberwolves Surge
Ayo Dosunmu has settled into a much bigger role since Anthony Edwards went down with a knee injury, and the early returns have been hard to miss. The guard has brought a sharper scoring punch to the starting lineup, while also giving Minnesota a steadier decision-making presence. Over the last stretch, his shot-making has been efficient enough to stand out even in a rotation that has had to adjust on the fly.
Chris Finch and Dosunmu both pointed to the same broader theme behind the uptick: the way the offense is opening up around him. With Rudy Gobert setting strong screens and helping create cleaner looks at the rim, Dosunmu has found more room to operate and more chances to attack in rhythm. For a Timberwolves team trying to keep its footing through an injury-driven shuffle, that kind of fit matters, even if the full picture of how long it lasts is still to be determined. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Make A Frontcourt Move With Anthony Edwards Still Out
With Anthony Edwards still sidelined by a knee injury, the Timberwolves have added some frontcourt depth as they try to keep their strong start rolling. Minnesota brought in Johni Broome on a two-way deal, a move that gives the club another developmental big while it waits for one of its top scorers to return.
Broome arrives with some recent NBA experience after spending time with the 76ers and Clippers, and he was the 35th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. For a Wolves team trying to hold steady through Edwards absence, the addition is a low-risk way to shore up the roster and see whether Broome can carve out a role while the lineup is in flux. [Read more 🡒]