Julius Randle scores 31 points as Timberwolves beat short-handed Mavericks, 118-105
DALLAS (AP) — Julius Randle scored 31 points, Naz Reid added 23 and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the short-handed Dallas Mavericks 118-105 on Wednesday night.
The Mavericks were without rookie No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, who sat for left ankle injury management on the first night of a back-to-back. Flagg played the previous three games after an ankle sprain sidelined him for two games.
Klay Thompson sat with left knee soreness for Dallas, which is without 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis due to a hand injury. Star guard Kyrie Irving hasn’t played all season after tearing an ACL last March.
Anthony Edwards scored 20 points for the Timberwolves, who have won consecutive games since a five-game losing streak that is their longest of the season.
P.J. Washington Jr. scored all 21 of his points in the second half for the Mavericks. Naji Marshall had 18 points and Brandon Williams 17.
Randle was 12 of 21 from the field and made all seven of his free throws. He has scored at least 21 points in 11 of his past 12 games against his hometown team.
Dallas’ Max Christie had a four-game streak of 20-point games stopped on a 1-of-8 shooting night, finishing with nine points. He was 7 of 8 on free throws, but his teammates were just 19 of 31 from the line as Dallas shot 67% (26 of 39).
The Mavericks, who trailed for all but 26 seconds, had trimmed a 16-point deficit to eight late in the third quarter when Reid made a 3-pointer to start a 12-3 run to finish the quarter.
The Dallas deficit was 10 in the fourth quarter when Reid hit a short jumper and another 3 for a 106-91 lead. Reid had eight rebounds and three steals.
Up next
Both teams finish a back-to-back at home Thursday. The Timberwolves play Oklahoma City. Dallas has Charlotte.
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This story is corrected to say the Mavericks had cut their deficit to eight points late in the third quarter, not the fourth.
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