Anthony Edwards, fresh off his All-Star Game MVP honor, dropped 40 points toanchor the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 122-111 win over the Dallas Mavericks, pushing the defending NBA champions’ losing streak to a franchise-worst 10 games—longest in 28 years.
MINNEAPOLIS — Anthony Edwards entered Target Center Friday night with fresh hardware in hand—his All-Star Game MVP trophy. He left with another 40-point masterclass and a 122-111 victory for the Minnesota Timberwolves, while pushing the Dallas Mavericks into uncharted territory: their 10th consecutive loss.
The Mavericks, who won the 2025 NBA Championship, have not tasted victory since January 22 against the Golden State Warriors. This 10-game freefall marks their worst streak since 1998—spanning 28 full seasons—a record that underscores the mounting challenges facing Jason Kidd’s depleted roster.
- Edwards shines with 40 points, his eighth 40-point game this season, finishing the night with 14 points in the fourth quarter alone—singlehandedly resuscitating an erratic Timberwolves effort.
- Rudy Gobert (22 points, 17 rebounds, 3 blocks) and Naz Reid (21 points) provided crucial support, combining for 43 points and 30 rebounds, but it was Edwards’ clutch scoring that sealed the outcome.
- Mavericks rally evaporates: Dallas fought back from a 17-point first-half deficit to tie the game at 103 with 6:55 left, only for Edwards to answer with a step-back 3-pointer and Reid to follow with another—reclaiming control.
- Shorthanded Mavericks missing stars: Rookie phenom Cooper Flagg missed his second straight game with a sprained foot, while Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II are out for the season. Maxi Kleber (ankle) also sat.
Edwards’ 40-Piece: Why It Matters
While 40-point nights are becoming routine for the 24-year-old guard, this performance arrived at a pivotal moment. The Timberwolves, secure as the top seed in the Western Conference, could have succumbed to complacency. Instead, Edwards delivered a timely reminder of why he is the anchor of a potential championship team.
His eight 40-point games highlight not just his offensive growth but his evolution into a clutch performer. On Friday, after the Mavericks erased a 17-point lead, Edwards responded instantly with a step-back three—a shot defender Grant Williams later called “uncontested at 35 feet.”
“That’s the MVP right there,” said Wolves teammate Bones Hyland, pointing to Edwards after the win. “He’s our leader, our closer. We follow his lead and he never lets us die.”
Mavericks in Crises: Defense and Depth Issues Surface
Dallas now owns the NBA’s worst defensive rating since the All-Star break, hemorrhaging points without the defensive backbone of Dereck Lively II and the secondary playmaking of rookie Cooper Flagg. Tonights’ 122 points were not a statistical anomaly—their defense has now given up over 120 points in seven of the last 10 losses.
The absence of Lively leaves a void at the five. The Mavericks are anchored by small-ball lineups that fail to deter drives, allowing opponents to shoot 56% inside the restricted area during the streak mind you
With him Vicente outfit remains indefinitely sidelined Mavericks’ season once rich with promise descending into repair mode Offense insufficient depth has forced plow mainstays like Bill HotShots and Union on hoops Basketball](https://apnews.com/hub/nba) for all NBA coverage.
The Gobert Suspension Looms
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert picked up his third flagrant foul of the season in the second quarter, triggering an automatic one-game suspension without appeal. The league will review it, meaning Gobert will likely miss Minnesota’s tilt with Philadelphia on Valentine’s Day—a key matchup against Joel Embiid.
Gobert is averaging 22.8 points and 14 rebounds since the All-Star break, becoming a focal point of the Wolves’ league-leading defense. Although the unit survived one game without him plaintiffs defense leading significant questions whether Embiid can exploit weakspot
Up Next: 3 Must-Watch Storylines Post Super Bowl
- Mavericks at Pacers (Sunday, 7pm ET): Dallas faces another shorthanded backcourt upon Raily arriving Hoosiers whose Tyrese Haliburton is day-to-day with a sore ankle. Can Lula luce char four-year Tolian] capitalize against a rebuilding pacers unit?
- Timberwolves vs 76ers (Sunday, 8pm ET): With Gorgon suspended Minnesota faces league-leading MVP Joel Embiid in a should-never-been final four scenarios how will Wolves center Reid handle Embiid one-on-one?
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