The Dallas Mavericks will travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota to face the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center with tip-off scheduled for 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday night and will air on Bally Sports North and Bally Sports Southwest.

The Mavericks are in 7^th place in the Western Conference with a record of 26-21 while having won two of their last three games including Monday’s 131-129 win at home against the Orlando Magic. Dallas has been one of the highest-scoring teams in the NBA this season as they are averaging the 7^th most points per game with an average of 118.91 points per game. Luka Doncic is the best player on the team and leads the team in scoring, rebounds, assists, and steals with an average of 34.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 9.6 assists, and 1.43 steals per game and ranks 2^nd in the NBA in points per game and 3^rd in assists per game. 

However, if the Mavericks are going to be a serious contender for a championship this season they are going to have to improve their defense as they are allowing the 10^th most points per game with an average of 118.57 points per game. The Dallas Mavericks will look to build off the momentum following the win against the Magic when they travel to face the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have the best record in the Western Conference this season at 33-14 thanks to their 107-101 win on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday which was also their 3^rd win in their last four games. The success of the Timberwolves this season can be attributed to their defense as they are allowing the fewest points per game in the league with an average of 107.45 points allowed per game. Anthony Edwards has been one of the better players for Minnesota and leads the team in scoring and steals with an average of 25.9 points and 1.2 steals per game. 

Offensively, Minnesota has been one of the lowest-scoring teams as they are averaging the 9^th fewest points per game with an average of 112.94 points per game. The Minnesota Timberwolves will look to pick up their 4^th win in their last five games when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.

BookMaker has the Minnesota Timberwolves listed as 13.5-point favorites at home against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. Minnesota has won six of the last ten and two of the last three meetings against Dallas. The teams are 5-5 ATS in the last ten while the Mavericks have covered the spread in two of the last three games in the series. The Dallas Mavericks are 24-23 ATS overall, 13-8 ATS on the road, and 9-12 ATS as an underdog this season while the Minnesota Timberwolves are 23-22-2 ATS overall, 11-8-2 ATS at home, and 16-17-2 ATS as a favorite on the year.

Minnesota enters this game with the best record in the Western Conference while Dallas has the 7^th best record in the conference and has been the better team in the series, winning six of the last ten and two of the last three contests. However, the Mavericks have been the better team at covering the spread most recently in the series, covering two of the last three matchups. As a result, I am buying the .5 point and taking the points with the Dallas Mavericks when they travel to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.