With the Dallas Mavericks in town, naturally the conversation at the Minnesota Timberwolves shootaround Saturday morning swirled around what could be one of Dirk Nowitzki’s final appearances at Target Center. Now, in his 20th year in the NBA, Nowitzki is not the player he once was — averaging 10.9 points per game on 39.4 percent shooting from the field — but his name was still held in high regard by Minnesota players and coaches.
“It’s the mark of greatness to play as long as he has. To play at the level that he has played at, that’s really what great is — to do it year after year after year,” said head coach Tom Thibodeau following Saturday morning’s shootaround. “Those guys sort of reinvent themselves as time goes on. Every year [Nowitzki] has added something to his game.”
This sentiment rings familiar to the career arch of one of Minnesota’s newest players, Jamal Crawford, who unlike Nowitzki has actually seen his scoring and assist numbers increase while also leading Minnesota in 3-point makes (14 at a 46.7 percent efficiency). Rather than simply being a relic of the past, Crawford has been crucial to what has been a surprisingly effective bench in Minnesota.
“I look at Jamal and watch the way he practices and plays every day,” said Thibodeau acknowledging not only Crawford’s longevity but his effectiveness. “I saw the same thing with Dikembe Mutombo in Houston, it is pretty amazing.”
The success of the bench has not stopped with the sixth man; instead, successful results have spanned the entirety of the Minnesota rotation.
“That is the beauty of this team,” according to point guard Jeff Teague. “We have guys one through 13 who can really play. A lot of guys capable of making big plays for us… Belly has been playing great.”
The rational hope for this team entering this season was that maybe one or two players would find success in a bench role but the entirety of the rotation has, at a minimum, shown flashes. The most prolonged flashes have come from, as Teague eluded to, Nemanja Bjelica who has contributed 13 3-pointers on 22 attempts. Bjelica’s shooting resurgence has been a surprise boon for the team as he shot a dismal 31.6 percent from distance last season.
Bjelica attributes this new-found comfort in his shooting depth to stepping away from his European basketball roots by tempering his desires to playmake, and instead focusing on shooting when open.
“Sometimes I want to (penetrate) so much but when I turn over the ball, Thibs is mad,” said Bjelica after shootaround.
Bjelica isn’t only keeping Thibodeau happy with his improved shooting, but the tides seemed to have calmed around him as the questions that surrounded his confidence and ensuing ineffectiveness have dissipated. Bjelica is fitting in seamlessly to both the first and second unit when given the opportunity and through his shooting can fit with any group according to Thibodeau.
This game against Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks (1-9) is big in that it has the opportunity to discount last week’s home game where Minnesota played down to — and well below — Indiana in a 23-point home loss. Dallas is on a road-road back-to-back after a Friday evening loss to the New Orleans Pelicans in which the Mavericks gave up 50 points and 35 rebounds to DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis.
Similarly, Minnesota will look to bruise the Dallas frontcourt with Karl-Anthony Towns, who undoubtedly desires a bounce back from a career-worst performance in which he scored a mere 2 points on Wednesday.
At practice on Saturday, Towns reassured that he is fully recovered from a cold he may or may not have gotten from Jimmy Butler. Minnesota will have the same 13 players healthy and active as they had on Wednesday in New Orleans. Justin Patton — who is participating in practice but still not close to returning to game action — will remain in street clothes.
Conversely, Dallas is banged up and will be without Dorian Finney-Smith (knee), Josh McRoberts (lower extremity injury) and most notably Seth Curry, who has been out all season with a leg injury.
Starting Lineups
Dallas
- PG: Dennis Smith
- SG: Wesley Matthew
- SF: Harrison Barnes
- PF: Dirk Nowitzki
- C: Nerlens Noel
Minnesota
- PG: Jeff Teague
- SG: Jimmy Butler
- SF: Andrew Wiggins
- PF: Taj Gibson
- C: Karl-Anthony Towns
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