Minnesota Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland spoke about playing smaller on paper after a 133-94 blowout win against the Dallas Mavericks at the Target Center on Thursday night.
“Coming into the season, a lot of people thought we were probably going to be small,” Hyland said. “Maybe on paper. But I don’t think we are when we check into the game.”
The Timberwolves cruised to victory after entering the contest as 5.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Minnesota improved its record to 9-3 on the season while Dallas dropped to 7-5.
Minnesota dominated around the basket throughout the game by pulling down 50 rebounds while Dallas grabbed only 38 boards. The home side also scored 74 points in the paint compared to just 42 for the Mavericks.
The contest did not initially appear one-sided as Dallas took a 24-19 lead late in the first quarter.
Minnesota answered by ending the period on a 15-2 run capped off by a buzzer-beating triple from Jaylen Clark.
The Mavericks cut the deficit to one point midway through the second quarter before the Timberwolves built another double-digit advantage. Minnesota held a 67-52 lead at halftime.
The Timberwolves faced little resistance in the third quarter by outscoring Dallas 36-17 during the period. Minnesota led by as many as 44 points in the second half to cement the final result.
Minnesota played without star guard Anthony Edwards.
LaMelo Ball led the charge for the Timberwolves following offseason roster changes that brought him to Minnesota in a deal that sent Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets and Naz Reid to the Charlotte Hornets.
Dallas entered the matchup following a 125-122 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night. Second-year standout Cooper Flagg scored 43 points with 10 rebounds against Indiana, maintaining an average of 25.9 points per game on 50.0% shooting from the field this season.
* What was the final score of the game between Minnesota and Dallas? The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Dallas Mavericks 133-94 at the Target Center on Thursday night.
* How many points did Cooper Flagg score in his previous outing before this matchup?
Cooper Flagg recorded 43 points and 10 rebounds against the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.
* What roster changes did Minnesota make before the season? Minnesota traded Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets and shipped Naz Reid to the Charlotte Hornets in a deal that brought LaMelo Ball to the Timberwolves.
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