Dallas Mavs vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Preview: Luka Doncic Seeks Season-High 5-Game Win Streak

Still without the services of star guard Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks have a chance to make a statement against the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves with a win at home.

The Western Conference is, once again, highly contested this season with parity seemingly at an all-time high. With the Dallas Mavericks sitting in third-place in the conference, they are just half a game behind the second-place Oklahoma City Thunder and just 2.5 games back of the top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, who make their way to American Airlines Center on Thursday night.

Although the Wolves have been great, they're coming off a big loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, and the Kyrie Irving-less Mavs are riding a four-game win streak, led by a red-hot Luka Doncic coming off another incredible performance in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers. The MVP candidate put up 33 points and dished out 17 assists.

The Mavs went 0-2 against the T-Wolves in preseason play :: Ryan Lim / AFP via Getty Images

The last time the Mavs lost a game was when they came all the way back from being down 24 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Dec. 2 with an NBA-record 30-0 run before ultimately running out of gas. After that game, Doncic proclaimed that his team would "win a lot of games" this season if they played with that same fire, and they haven't lost since.

One key area to watch in this one will be the play of the sensational rookie big man Dereck Lively II. The Mavs went 0-2 against the Wolves in preseason play, and Lively struggled in those contests against a much more experienced frontcourt, but he's a different player now than he was three months ago.

Mavs Step Back: Dereck Lively II Takes Next Step; Luka Doncic, Dallas Turnaround Imminent?

Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 21.6 points and 9.1 rebounds and Rudy Gobert is right there with him at 13.3 points and 12.2 rebounds, so paint defense will be vital for a Mavs' fifth consecutive win at AAC. Wolves star Anthony Edwards and known defensive pest, Jaden McDaniels, who always seems to give Doncic problems, are both listed as questionable for this one.

Injury Report:

Dallas Mavericks:

• Seth Curry (QUESTIONABLE - Ankle)
• Tim Hardaway Jr. (PROBABLE- Back)
• Derrick Jones Jr. (QUESTIONABLE - Quad)
• Kyrie Irving (OUT - Foot)
• Josh Green (OUT - Elbow)
• Maxi Kleber (OUT - Toe)

Minnesota Timberwolves:

• Anthony Edwards (QUESTIONABLE - Hip)
• Jaden McDaniels (QUESTIONABLE - Ankle)
• Jordan McLaughlin (QUESTIONABLE - Knee)
• Jaylen Clark (OUT - Achilles)
• Luka Garza (OUT - G-League Two-Way)
• Leonard Miller (OUT - G-League On Assignment)
• Daishen Nix (OUT - G-League Two-Way)

Records: Dallas Mavericks (15-8), Minnesota Timberwolves (17-5)

Where: American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)

When: Thursday, December 14, 2023, at 7:30PM CT

TV: Bally Sports Southwest, NBA League Pass

Radio: 97.1 The Freak

Odds: Mavericks -2.5 via SI Sportsbook

Mavs Step Back:

Next Up: The Mavs go back on a two-game road trip starting in Portland on Saturday, facing the Trail Blazers for the second time in eight days.

Final Word: "Take the age out – he's a basketball player. He understands how to play the game. He's very coachable," said head coach Jason Kidd about Dereck Lively II following the Mavs win over the Lakers. "This was a great test for him on a back-to-back after last night's game and the minutes and the physicality, then to turn around, going from Jaren Jackson to A.D. (Anthony Davis) and understanding he's playing against two All-Stars – he's going through it. But again, I think the trust – not just of the coaches but his teammates – if Luka [Doncic] is being double-teamed, he's also looking for Lively to score or play make. It just shows how important he is to this team but how good he really is."