Dallas @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 17, 2017 ) Minnesota 111, Dallas 87

The Dallas Mavericks looked like they were taking a step forward with a pair of strong performances in wins at home, but the road is proving to be a more difficult challenge. The Mavericks will try to avoid being swept on a three-game road trip when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.

Dallas, which goes home for one game on Tuesday against the Spurs before hitting the road again for two at Golden State and San Antonio, could not find its way around Boston or Milwaukee to begin the trip. "It doesn't matter where we were playing," Mavericks guard Wesley Matthews told reporters after Friday's 109-102 loss to the Bucks. "It's disappointing to not get that win. We've just got to put 48 minutes together." The Timberwolves traded wins and losses over the last 10 games and are hoping to break that cycle and earn back-to-back victories. "The important thing is, are we making the right play? If we're making the right play, that's all we can ask," Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters. "Some nights we shoot it better. Offensively, we're fifth best in the league, but we have a lot of work to do defensively if we want to be the team we say we want to be."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), FS North (Minnesota)

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (7-19): Dallas was missing some explosion on offense with rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr. out of the lineup on Friday, and he is not expected to play on Sunday due to a hip injury. Smith, 20, is averaging 14.4 points and four assists but watched Yogi Ferrell get into early foul trouble while starting in his spot on Friday and finish with five points in 23 minutes. Matthews tried to make up for the loss and finished with a season-high 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range.

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (15-11): Minnesota last played on Wednesday - a 113-107 home win over the Los Angeles Clippers - and the extended rest was probably a good thing for a team that has whittled its rotation down to eight players. Every starter logged at least 36 minutes in Wednesday's contest while Jimmy Butler was on the court for 43 minutes - the fourth straight game in which he played at least 40 minutes. The extended run doesn't seem to be hampering the production of Butler, who is averaging 26 points on 50.7 percent shooting, six assists and 5.3 rebounds in those four games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Dallas C Nerlens Noel will undergo thumb surgery and is expected to miss at least four weeks.

2. Timberwolves PF Taj Gibson recorded a double-double in five of the last seven games.

3. Minnesota breezed to a pair of wins over Dallas last month by a total of 37 points.

PREDICTION: Timberwolves 103, Mavericks 99