MINNEAPOLIS – Dallas Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith has noticed more teams sending more double-teams at point guard Luka Doncic, effectively daring the other players to beat them.
It’s a strategy Finney-Smith knows the Mavs must take advantage of if they plan on reversing a trend that has seen them lose five of their last seven games entering Wednesday’s 7 o’clock tipoff at the Target Center against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“We’ve got to stay together,” Finney-Smith said after Wednesday morning’s shootaround. “They’re getting the ball out of Luka’s hands and we’ve got to make a play on that four-on-three.”
Unfortunately for Finney-Smith, he won’t be available to play Wednesday due to a right abductor strain. Still, he has confidence that the Mavs — they lost to the Timberwolves here on Monday, 116-106 – have enough to gain a split of the two games in Minnesota.
“Coach has been doing a great job of giving us the answers to the test,” Finney-Smith said. “We just got to go out there and apply them.”
*In addition to Dorian Finney-Smith (right abductor strain) missing Wednesday’s game, the Mavs will also be without Josh Green (right elbow strain) and Maxi Kleber (right hamstring tear surgery). Also, Dwight Powell (left thigh contusion) is questionable for Wednesday’s game.
*The Timberwolves enjoyed a 58-18 advantage over the Mavs in the paint this past Monday. The 18 points are the fewest points in the paint Minnesota has allowed since a Jan. 18, 2014 game against the Utah Jazz. The T-Wolves are 9-1 in winning the paint battle over the past 10 games.
*After Wednesday’s game, the Mavs will wrap up this four-game road trip pn Friday in Houston before they return home for a Christmas Day game on Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers.
*The 14 points the Mavs scored in the second quarter Monday represent the second-fewest points a Timberwolves’ opponent has scored in any quarter this season. The previous low of 12 points occurred during the fourth quarter of Minnesota’s Oct. 24 game against the San Antonio Spurs.
DALLAS MAVERICKS (15-16) AT MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (16-15)
When: 7 p.m., Wednesday
Where: Target Center, Minneapolis
TV: Bally Sports Southwest
Radio: 97.1 FM The Freak; 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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