MIN 122, DAL 111: Gobert Wreaks Havoc With 56 ESPN FP
Jake Morrison
Computer Science Student ยท Dallas Mavericks fan
Anthony Edwards Went Absolutely Nuclear, But Minnesota's Bench Won Them This Game
Look, I'm not happy about this one. Mavs travel to Minneapolis and get punched in the mouth 122-111, and yeah, I'm still heated about it. But let's be real: the Timberwolves were the better team tonight, and it starts with one guy who decided to turn into a video game character.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rudy Gobert | 56.0 | 53.9 | 22/17/1 | 11.2/11.3/1.7 | +10.8 |
| Anthony Edwards | 52.0 | 48.7 | 40/6/1 | 29.5/5.2/3.7 | +10.5 |
| Naz Reid | 49.0 | 42.4 | 21/7/4 | 14.3/6.4/2.5 | +6.7 |
| P.J. Washington | 29.0 | 35.4 | 12/12/2 | 14.1/7.1/1.9 | -2.1 |
| Marvin Bagley III | 32.0 | 32.6 | 15/13/0 | 10.3/6.0/1.4 | +4.7 |
| Khris Middleton | 30.0 | 32.2 | 18/6/2 | 10.5/4.0/3.1 | +7.5 |
| Naji Marshall | 24.0 | 31.5 | 15/5/3 | 15.1/4.9/3.0 | -0.1 |
| Donte DiVincenzo | 38.0 | 30.5 | 9/5/9 | 12.7/4.5/4.3 | -3.7 |
| Jaden McDaniels | 20.0 | 27.1 | 7/8/5 | 14.8/4.3/2.9 | -7.8 |
| Daniel Gafford | 30.0 | 26.5 | 8/5/1 | 8.0/6.5/0.9 | +0.0 |
The Ant Man Takeover
Anthony Edwards just reminded everyone why he made All-NBA Second Team last year. 40 points on 16-30 shooting with 5 threes in 37 minutes? That's not a good night, that's a "I'm dropping 40 on everyone" night. He was +10.5 on his season average, which doesn't even sound like much until you realize he's already averaging 29.5 PPG. This dude turned it up when it mattered.
Here's what kills me though: that's one of those performances that you can't predict. Edwards hits 53% from the field and 100% from three point range, and you're just sitting there watching it happen. Fantasy managers who had him cleaned up, but if you faded him for some reason, you got cooked. The lesson here is obvious: don't get cute with All-NBA guys just because they're traveling.
Rudy Gobert Made the Mavs' Centers Look Silly
Rudy Gobert put on a defensive clinic AND dropped 22/17/1 with 3 blocks. 53.9 Yahoo FP. He was +10.8 on his season average, which means he wasn't just productive, he was REALLY productive. The Timberwolves' defense is legitimately different when Gobert is engaged, and tonight he was locked in.
Meanwhile, Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington tried their best but ran into a wall. Gafford pulled 26.5 Yahoo FP, which is solid, but Gobert was just on another level. If you're thinking about streaming centers against Minnesota's next opponent, maybe pump the brakes. Gobert is built different.
The Bench Scoring Story
This is where the game really got decided. Naz Reid (21/7/4, 42.4 Yahoo FP) and Donte DiVincenzo (9/5/9, 30.5 Yahoo FP) combined for 72.9 Yahoo FP off the bench. That's your whole game right there. Reid was +6.7 on his season average despite only playing 30 minutes, and DiVincenzo ran the offense with 9 assists.
Dallas countered with Marvin Bagley III (15/13, 32.6 Yahoo FP) putting in work, but he's averaging 10.3/6.0 and went 15/13, so that's great for one night but probably not sustainable. Tyus Jones (13/1/6) was the only other Mavs bench spark, and 23.2 Yahoo FP from your backup point guard just doesn't cut it against what Minnesota brought.
Here's the thing: Bagley's getting dropped league-wide (down 0.5% ownership). I get the frustration after a loss, but 24 minutes of 15/13 is actually encouraging if you're holding him. Don't panic drop. This wasn't a fluke, he just didn't get the volume tonight. Wait for the next game before you do anything.
The Underperformance That Stings
Jaden McDaniels came in expecting to drop 14.8/4.3 but only managed 7/8/5 in 34 minutes. That's -7.8 vs his average, and for a starter getting heavy minutes, that's not great. He tried on defense (5 rebounds, 2 steals), but couldn't get anything going offensively (3-11 FG). If you're a McDaniels owner, this is a one-off frustration game. The Mavericks' defense was smothering at times.
Julius Randle also underperformed at -9.2 pts vs avg (only 13/5/3 despite 28 minutes). Tough outing for him, but again, one game doesn't make a season.
The Real Problem: Dallas Looked Out of Sync
I don't want to make excuses, but the Mavs looked flat. Khris Middleton had to carry offensive load (18/6/2, 32.2 Yahoo FP), which means your star players (wherever they are) weren't clicking. Naji Marshall finished with solid 31.5 Yahoo FP, but it felt like everyone was playing harder than usual because the rhythm wasn't there.
This is what happens when you lose a road game to a team like Minnesota. You don't get to blame one guy. The whole lineup has to execute better.
Bottom Line Moves
Add Alert: Nobody is worth adding from this game specifically. The Timberwolves' supporting cast is good but not consistent enough to trust in most leagues.
Drop Alert: Don't drop Marvin Bagley III just because he got fewer minutes tonight. He still dominated the boards (13 rebounds in 24 minutes is elite efficiency). One bad game from McDaniels isn't a panic situation either.
Trade Target Alert: If you own Edwards or Gobert, you already know their value. Don't sell low on either of them. If you're looking to acquire them after tonight, good luck, because everyone else just watched the same game.
The Timberwolves proved they can absolutely beat anybody when they bring it. Edwards playing like that is nearly impossible to stop, but it's also not repeatable every night. This was a statement win, not a preview of the playoffs.
I'll live to see the Mavs play another day, but tonight stung.