The Dallas Mavericks are set to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at 11:30 a.m. in a Christmas Day rematch of the 2024 NBA Western Conference Finals in May.
Dallas and Minnesota will meet up for the second time this season following an October 29 matchup, which the Mavericks won 120-114.
The second matchup of the season between these two teams is important for both as the Mavericks are looking to continue a recent winning streak and the Timberwolves are attempting to avoid falling under .500.
Dallas has put together an impressive 14-3 record in its last 17 games to put the team in fourth place in the Western Conference, with an overall record of 19-10.
The three losses during this stretch came against the Miami Heat, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and, most recently, the Los Angeles Clippers, in a game in which guards Doncic and Kyrie Irving were unable to play.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves will look to recover from a slow start to the season, with the team managing to put up a record of just 14-14 through the first portion of the year.
Dallas has played just seven games on Christmas Day, with a record of 4-3, leading into this matchup against Minnesota. Over the past four seasons, the Mavericks’ record for Christmas Day games is 2-2.
One player to watch during this matchup is guard Luka Doncic. The seventh-year guard has a history of putting up memorable performances on Christmas Day.
Doncic had an incredible 50-point outburst against the Phoenix Suns last season to lead the Mavericks to a 128-114 victory, making him just the fourth player in NBA history to score at least 50 points on Christmas.
This game followed a 32-point, 9 rebound, and 9 assist game that Doncic had during the 2023-23 season in a win against the Los Angeles Lakers, indicating that the Slovenian guard looks to put on a show for fans during the holiday game.
The key to victory for the Mavericks will be winning the turnover battle, as the Mavericks have a record of 7-3 this season in games in which they turn the ball over fewer times than their opponent, according to the Associated Press.
Dallas is expected to play without Jaden Hardy, Dante Exum, and Brandon Williams due to injuries suffered earlier in the season.
Similarly, the Timberwolves are likely going to play without Joe Ingles, Luka Garza, and Daishen Nix due to injuries.