MINNEAPOLIS — Four days after they lost by a bucket in Dallas, the Timberwolves ended their two-game losing streak with a 116-95 beating of the Mavericks Friday at Target Center.
The victory moved the seventh-place Wolves within a half game of sixth-place Denver and two games of fifth-place Dallas.
The Wolves led by as many as 24 points in the fourth quarter.
Karl-Anthony Towns led his team with 20 points and nine rebounds while all four other starters — Anthony Edwards, Jarred Vanderbilt, D'Angelo Russell and Patrick Beverley — scored in double figures.
Mavs star Luka Doncic approached a triple-double with a 24-point, 10-rebound, eight-assist night.
The teams last played on Monday, in the Wolves' 110-108 loss at Dallas that turned chippy.
Dallas coach Jason Kidd was asked before Friday's game if he addressed his players about keeping their collective cool.
"That's just part of the game," Kidd said before specifically referring to Wolves veteran Patrick Beverley. "Bev is going to always talk. That's who he is. He does it at very high level and he has been successful. So there's really nothing to talk about. It's just part of basketball. At times you'll have conversations. Sometimes they're heated. Sometimes they're under control. There's nothing really to address there."
The Wolves led by as many as 13 points and trailed by three during a first half after which they led 61-50.
Wolves fans among an announced sellout crowd hushed twice in the second quarter, when limping forward Naz Reid was guided to the locker room and guard Malik Beasley hobbled around not long later.
Beasley played 12 minutes, but left the game in the second quarter and did not return because of a sprained left ankle.
Reid played just one minute in that second quarter before he left the game, but returned by the third quarter.
Before the game, Finch discussed Reid and his improved skill around the basket.
"You mean the times he didn't have it blocked?" Finch said playfully. "He has been great. He really has been great. He's very skilled around the rim. We can post him up, finish up high, spin moves, counter moves. His overall game has been at a high level for a while now."
Guard Sterling Brown was one of five Dallas players out Friday, but his absence was due to entering the NBA's health and safety protocols concerning COVID-19.
Kidd said he didn't know if Brown was staying in or driving from Minneapolis.
"But he's not flying back with the team," Kidd said. "This is part of the world now. It's COVID. It happens. You move forward. We just hope it doesn't spread through the team here late in the season."
Former Wolves guard Marko Jaric attended Friday's game and was introduced on the big scorecard to the crowd during a first-quarter break.
