Minnesota @ Dallas preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 10, 2017 ) Dallas 92, Minnesota 97

Karl-Anthony Towns seeks an encore performance as he leads the Minnesota Timberwolves into a matchup at the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. Towns erupted for a franchise-record 56 points to go along with 15 rebounds and four assists in a much-needed 126-114 win over Atlanta at home Wednesday night.

The effort allowed the Timberwolves to snap an ill-timed two-game slide and stay in seventh place in the Western Conference, 1 1/2 games up on the ninth-place Los Angeles Clippers. "I just realized the ball kept coming to me more and more often," Towns told reporters after also setting a career high with his 63rd double-double. "I guess that was a sign to shoot the ball. Everyone just kept telling me, 'You need six more, you need eight more, for 50.' I wasn't really thinking about that. I was just trying to find a way to win." Minnesota plays its remaining six games against teams below it in the West standings, beginning with a Mavericks squad that has dropped six of its last seven. Dallas shot 39.3 percent from the field overall and managed only 12 points in the fourth quarter of a 103-93 loss at the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), FS Southwest Plus (Dallas)

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (43-33): Towns was 19-of-32 from the field, 6-of-8 from 3-point range and 12-of-15 from the foul line as he eclipsed the team's previous scoring high of 52 points set by Mo Williams in 2015. "He was all over the place, rebounding, scoring, dominating the game," teammate Andrew Wiggins told reporters. "They couldn't do nothing with him. He played amazing. Dominant performance. Special performance." Towns averages 24.7 points on 60.5 percent shooting to go along with 11.7 rebounds in three wins over Dallas this season.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (23-52): Coach Rick Carlisle is utilizing his entire roster when he can and nine players saw between 20 and 26 minutes of action against the Lakers. Rookie star Dennis Smith Jr. finished with 14 points, eight assists and one turnover in 22 minutes after going for 19 points and six assists in 25 minutes in a win at Sacramento the previous night. Dirk Nowitzki averaged 4.3 points on 6-of-24 shooting over his previous three contests before recording 13 points on 4-of-7 on Wednesday.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Wiggins was held below 20 points for the fourth straight time against Atlanta after scoring 20 or more in nine of his previous 11 games.

2. Mavericks PG J.J. Barea missed the last two games due to personal reasons.

3. Minnesota won each of the last four meetings.

PREDICTION: Timberwolves 112, Mavericks 105