Mavericks are a different beast than Timberwolves faced in regular season

The Wolves won the regular season series 3-1.

Jan 31, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) battles / Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

The Timberwolves face the Mavericks in the 2024 Western Conference Finals, beginning with Game 1 Wednesday night in Minneapolis. What did we learn from the four regular-season meetings between the two?

Regular Season results (4 games)
- Dec. 14: MIN 119 @ DAL 101
- Dec. 28: MIN 118 vs. DAL 110
- Jan. 7: MIN 108 @ DAL 115
- Jan. 31: MIN 121 vs. DAL 87

1. New look with Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington

The biggest difference between the Mavericks the Timberwolves faced in the regular season vs. the team they will face in the Western Conference Finals is their frontcourt. Dallas acquired both P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford at the trade deadline, moving on from Grant Williams and Richaun Holmes.

Gafford proceeded to start 21 of 29 games for the Mavs, averaging 11.2 points and 6.9 rebounds on a league-best 78.0% shooting from the field. Washington started all but one of the final 29 games, averaging 11.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. They had a size issue early in the season, and the frontcourt of Gafford and Washington is something the Wolves have not faced.

At 21-9, Dallas had the third-best record in the NBA after the Feb. 8 trade deadline. Minnesota had the sixth-best record at 20-10.

2. Does Dallas know how to stop Anthony Edwards?

Edwards had an up-and-down game log again Dallas in the regular season, scoring 9, 44, 36 and 9 points, respectively, in their four matchups. Does head coach Jason Kidd have the secret sauce to slow down Edwards?

In the first meeting this season, Minnesota blew the doors off of Dallas and Edwards was a plus-20 despite scoring nine points on 3-of-19 shooting. Just a bad night at the office? Considering he scored 44 and 36 points in his next two games against Dallas, that's probably what happened.

But what about the fourth meeting when Edwards was again held to nine points? He took just five shots and was 3-of-5 and a plus-18 for the game. He didn't need to shoot that day because the Mavs were without Doncic and Irving.

Long story short: Kidd and the Mavericks don't have the secret sauce to slow down Edwards.

3. Minnesota barely saw Doncic, Irving during regular season

Doncic and Irving played in only three combined games vs. the Timberwolves in the regular season. Doncic averaged 36.5 points in two games, while Irving scored 35 points in his lone appearance. Both players are ball-dominant scorers and two of the best shot-creators the league has ever seen, making them one of the most unique backcourts in NBA history.

In all four matchups, Minnesota faced a Mavericks team that looked a lot different than the one they will face in this series. Dante Exum and Jaden Hardy both started two games, and they're both essentially out of the rotation in the postseason.

There are obviously some things Minnesota head coach Chris Finch and assistant Micah Nori can take from the regular season, but they will need to make in-game adjustments and work on the fly against a team that continues to improve.