Mavs-Wolves preview: Two teams that need healing in different ways

The teams that met in the Western Conference finals last season are limping through the middle of the season more disappointed than a teenager without TikTok for a weekend.

But just like the social media time-waster came back, both the Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves expect to push these lagging times behind them, preferably sooner than later.

The Mavericks still have at least another week before they find out about when Luka Dončić might return from his strained left calf. Without him, they have struggled to keep pace in the rugged West and the same can be said of the Timberwolves who will visit American Airlines Center Wednesday for an early start (6:30 p.m.).

The difference is that the Wolves don’t have a lot of health issues that have caused their backpedal.

Four of their best players have started all 43 games and the other, point guard Mike Conley, has played in all but four of the Wolves’ games.

No, health isn’t their issue. But developing chemistry is. The Wolves still are getting used to Julius Randle as their No. 2 scoring threat behind Anthony Edwards. Last year, it was Karl-Anthony Towns, the player they traded to New York to get Randle.

The Wolves still figure to be a scary team come playoff time, but right now, they are in no better shape than the Mavericks. They have lost three of their last four, including twice at home. Granted, their losses have been close. They could have gone either way. But they didn’t.

When the Mavericks played the Wolves at American Airlines Center on Christmas, Minnesota coach Chris Finch addressed the changes that his team has gone through.

“These are seismic changes,” Finch said. “Sometimes they happen quicker than others. We still believe there’s a recipe out there for us to be better than what we are right now. Two years ago – we’ve kind of lived this life already – and we came out the other side of it pretty good.”

That was when the Wolves traded for Rudy Gobert, adding a major piece to their starting lineup. It took them the better part of a year to create a winning formula.

Their hope is that the Randle-Anthony Edwards-Gobert trifecta finds a similar success – before the playoffs roll around.

In a way, it’s akin to when the Mavericks acquired Kyrie Irving. They missed the playoffs after getting Irving at the trade deadline in the 2022-23 season. Last season, they were in the NBA Finals.

Finch can relate.

“Everybody around us wants to panic after everything that’s happened and that’s probably the most detrimental thing to anything we’re trying to do long term,” he said. “You want to find something sustainable. That’s where we are.”

Here’s what else to look for when the Wolves visit Wednesday night:

• It’s the third meeting of the teams this season and the home team has struggled, losing both times by six points. The Mavericks won in October 120-114 at Target Center and the Wolves took a 105-99 decision on Christmas.
• Edwards has been a beast this season, averaging 26.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He’s shooting 42.8 percent from three-point range. He does turn the ball over (3.4 times a game), but he also has it in his hands a lot. He’s one of the NBA players who can erupt for 40-plus points on any night.
• Randle is adding 18.9 points per game, but shooting just 33 percent from three-point land. The one injury the Wolves are dealing with is Donte DiVincenzo, who is out with a toe injury.
• The Wolves can control a game at the defensive end. They are seventh in the NBA in overall defensive rating and eighth in points allowed per game (108).
• The Mavericks have lost four of their last five and are 3-9 since Dec. 28. They suffered a 110-105 loss Monday afternoon at Charlotte despite both Kyrie Irving (33 points) and Daniel Gafford (31 points) having marvelous offensive games. P.J. Washington was the only other Maverick to reach double figures with 13 points.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (22-21) at MAVERICKS (23-20)

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas

TV: KFAA, MAVSTV STREAM, ESPN.

RADIO: KEGL 97.1 FM, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)

X: @ESefko