Sports

Not This Time -- Hardaway Steps Up With 23 Points, Leads Mavericks Past Timberwolves

February 25, 2020 / 7:12 AM CST / CBS Texas

click to expand

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — They say the best revenge is success and that's exactly what the Dallas Mavericks' offense had Monday night as they shook off one of their most frustrating losses of the season.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 23 points to lead seven Mavericks in double figures, and Dallas never trailed in a 139-123 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.

Tim Hardaway Jr. #11 of the Dallas Mavericks takes a shot against the Minnesota Timberwolves at American Airlines Center on February 24, 2020 in Dallas, Texas. (credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Dallas scored 81 points before halftime, its biggest half of the season, to help erase the sting of a controversial 111-107 loss Saturday in Atlanta that the team is appealing. The Mavericks improved to 18-5 following a loss.

Luka Doncic added 20 points and could have found his way to another triple-double, but the Mavericks were able to rest most of their starters in the fourth quarter. He finished with nine rebounds and seven assists.

Hardaway, Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis did not play in the final period, with teammates such as Seth Curry (19 points) and Delon Wright (16) helping to expand the lead.

"Obviously, people talk about me and KP," Doncic said. "They don't talk about other players and what they do for this team, like Seth, Tim, Delon, everybody. We're a whole team together and they should be talked about more."

Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball against D'Angelo Russell #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves at American Airlines Center on February 24, 2020 in Dallas, Texas. (credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The reeling Timberwolves, playing without star big man Karl-Anthony Towns, lost their fifth in a row and 18th in 19 games.

D'Angelo Russell led Minnesota with 29 points and Malik Beasley had 21. The Timberwolves, who turned over nine players on their roster at the recent trade deadline, have lost nine straight on the road.

"I would say it's tough because we're on the road right now," Beasley said. "It's not like we're at home practicing and getting better, having a mini-training camp or anything like that. We're all learning on the fly, but at the same time we've got to hold each other accountable."

Dallas shot 56% in the first half and went 12 of 23 from 3-point range en route to an 81-65 halftime lead. The Mavericks finished the game at just over 50% from the field.

"We can be great (offensively)," Hardaway said. "It just comes down to making the right reads, making the right passes, getting second-chance opportunities and running the floor."