May 22, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) celebrates in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves in game one of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
- The Dallas Mavericks visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, looking to score a second road win to start the Western Conference Finals.
- The Mavericks got 33 points from Luka Doncic and 30 from Kyrie Irving in their 108-105 Game 1 victory.
- Check out the predictions and odds for Friday night’s Game 2 below.
Dallas surprised many NBA fans by scoring a narrow road win in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Now, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving set their sights on Game 2 in Minnesota. Can Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves defend their home court and even the series at 1-1? Tune in to TNT at 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday night to find out!
Dallas Mavericks vs Minnesota Timberwolves Game 2 Picks
- Under 207.0 total points
- Luka Doncic over 28.5 points
I’ll be honest. In Game 1, I expected Luka to go off, which he did, scoring 33 points. But I expected Kyrie Irving to struggle. I figured Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards were bad matchups for him. I was wrong.
Kyrie scored 30 points to be the 1B to Luka’s 1A. But in Game 2, I think Minnesota’s defense will figure some things out. I think Irving will be held to far fewer than 30 points this time around. But someone will need to score for the Mavs. That will be Doncic, who poses a bigger problem (literally) for the Minnesota defense. At 6-foot-7, he is a matchup problem for the smaller Minnesota perimeter defenders. I’ll go with Luka to have 29+ points again in Game 2.
As for the points total under? I’m just looking at the history of the Timberwolves this postseason. In Game 1 of Round 1 against the Suns, the teams combined for 215 total points (a 120-95 Minnesota win). In Game 2, Minnesota won 105-93, a total of 198 points.
In Game 1 against Denver, the Nuggets and Timberwolves combined for 205 points (a 106-99 Minnesota win). In Game 2, Minnesota scored 106 points again, but held Denver to only 80, which is a total of 186 points.
Basically, the Timberwolves have tightened up defensively in Game 2s so far this postseason, so I like the under on 207 points. This is a credit to the Minnesota coaching staff. Chris Finch and his staff see an offense in Game 1, make adjustments in Game 2, and dominate.
Dallas Mavericks vs Minnesota Timberwolves Game 2 Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Mavericks | +5.0 (-105) | +170 | O 207.0 (-110) |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | -5.0 (-115) | -205 | U 207.0 (-110) |
Odds via bet365 as of May 24. Use our bet365 bonus code SBDXLM to take advantage of $150 in bonus bets when you place an initial wager of $5+ today.
The Mavericks are 5-point underdogs on Friday night. If you like the Mavs to win outright, though, you can get them for +170 on the moneyline. The Timberwolves are -205 favorites. The over/under is set at 207.0 points. As I described above, I’m riding with the under tonight.
Dallas Mavericks vs Minnesota Timberwolves Game 2 Injury Report
| Team | Player | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Mavericks | Maxi Kleber | Right Shoulder |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | Mike Conley Jr. | Right Leg |
Both teams are fairly healthy for this series. Mike Conley played in Game 1 for the Timberwolves, but he’s dealing with a right calf injury and is questionable for Game 2. If he can’t go against the Mavs in Game 2, Minnesota will lose a key veteran presence on both ends of the floor.
Meanwhile, Maxi Kleber continues to deal with a right shoulder injury and, as of Thursday night, was reportedly out for Game 2.
With Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II in the mix, Dallas won’t miss Kleber as much as the Timberwolves will miss Conley if he can’t play. However, the Mavs do miss the way Kleber can stretch the floor with his 3-point shooting as a big man. Kyle Anderson figures to get more run if Conley misses Game 2.
Adam is an avid college sports fan, covering both football and basketball. During the summer months, he’s all-in on MLB action, favoring pitcher strikeout parlays.