Timberwolves Crush Mavericks 120-96 as Naz Reid Drops Season-High 22 Points

The Minnesota Timberwolves didn’t just beat the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night — they dismantled them. At Target Center in Minneapolis, the Wolves rolled to a 120-96 victory on the November 18, 2025 gameMinneapolis, turning a short-handed Dallas squad into a cautionary tale. The real story? Naz Reid, the Wolves’ big man, dropped a season-high 22 points — and he didn’t even need to shoot well to do it. He just showed up, played hard, and made the most of every possession.

Minnesota’s Balanced Attack Overwhelms Dallas

It wasn’t just Reid. It was the whole team. Six Timberwolves players scored in double figures — all five starters, plus a key reserve. Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert each added 15. Even Anthony Edwards, who struggled with his shot (5-for-14), still managed 13 points and kept the defense honest. Meanwhile, Dallas? They looked lost. No one could find rhythm. No one could stop the Wolves’ flow.

The first quarter alone told the tale: Minnesota outscored Dallas 34-21. Reid had 10 of those points — a quiet explosion. By halftime, he had 19. The Mavericks were already down 19. And yet, they kept shooting threes. They kept missing. And missing. And missing.

Dallas’s Injury Woes and Shooting Collapse

The Mavericks entered the game already thin. Daniel Gafford was out with an ankle issue. Dereck Lively II sat with a knee problem. And Anthony Davis, their defensive anchor, remained sidelined — a ghost in their lineup. That forced rookie Moussa Cissé into his first NBA start. He’s got potential. But he’s 19. And he was matched up against Gobert.

The result? A nightmare. Dallas shot 9-of-30 from deep — 30 percent. It wasn’t bad luck. It was a pattern. Before this game, they were the second-worst three-point shooting team in the league at 31.1 percent. Now? They’re officially the worst. That’s not a fluke. That’s a systemic issue. They’re betting on long-range shots to save them, but the ball just won’t go in. And when you’re missing from beyond the arc, and your big men are out, you’re not just losing — you’re unraveling.

Timberwolves Dominate the Glass and the Tempo

The Wolves didn’t just shoot better — they controlled the game’s pace. In the third quarter, they went on a 15-2 run that turned a 20-point lead into a 32-point cushion. Reid hit a three just before the buzzer to cap his night. It wasn’t even necessary. The game was over. But it felt symbolic — like a final exclamation point.

Minnesota’s bench, led by D’Angelo Russell (who had 28 in his last game but didn’t need to carry the load here), kept the energy high. The defense? Relentless. They forced Dallas into 17 turnovers. They grabbed 12 more rebounds. They turned the Mavericks’ sloppy play into fast breaks. It wasn’t just offense — it was a clinic in how to exploit a team in distress.

What’s Next for Both Teams?

Dallas heads home to host the New York Knicks on Wednesday, November 20, 2025. They’ll need to fix their shooting — fast. If they keep launching threes at this rate, they’ll be looking at a 20-game losing streak before Christmas. Meanwhile, Minnesota, now 3-3, welcomes the Washington Wizards on the same night. The Wolves are finding their rhythm. They’re not flashy. But they’re efficient. And they’re starting to look like a team that could make noise in the West.

The Bigger Picture: When Depth Matters

This game wasn’t just about points. It was about roster construction. The Mavericks are betting on youth — Flagg, Cissé, Christie. But you can’t win with a starting lineup that looks like a college all-star team. They need veterans. They need size. They need someone who can guard Gobert without getting bullied.

The Timberwolves? They’ve got a core that’s been together. Gobert anchors the paint. Edwards brings the heat. Reid? He’s the unsung hero — a glue guy who scores when it matters. This win wasn’t a fluke. It was the result of continuity, coaching, and depth.