clutchpoints
Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May had no trouble recognizing the influence LaMelo Ball exerted in the team's 133-94 blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night.
May, in his first year as an NBA head coach after a storied college career, is tasked with guiding Dallas through a rebuild while proving himself at the professional level. He has delivered a winning record through 10 games, but the Timberwolves handed his squad a humbling defeat.
Ball was instrumental, pouring in 22 points, dishing out nine assists, and knocking down six 3-pointers. May credited Ball for fueling Minnesota's high-powered offense throughout the contest.
"I think it's painfully obvious that once he gets going like that – he's making shots off the dribble from 26, 28 feet – we've gotta figure out a solution for it," May said, per reporter Mike Curtis. "But then he's able to get in the paint and break you down when you do push up and put two on the ball. When he has it going like that, he's an extremely tough cover and he played well tonight."
Despite the loss, five Dallas players scored in double figures. Zaccharie Risacher led the way with 22 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block. Naji Marshall added 13 points and four assists, Cooper Flagg contributed 12 points and seven rebounds, while Kyrie Irving and PJ Washington chipped in 10 points each.
The Mavericks now sit at 7-5, placing them 10th in the Western Conference standings. They are ahead of the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans but trail the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies.
Dallas will look to rebound in its next game on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers, with tip-off scheduled for Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Key Analysis
May's comments underscore the difficulty of defending a dynamic scorer like Ball, whose ability to shoot from deep and penetrate creates a dilemma for defenses. The Mavericks' early success under May has been promising, but the blowout loss serves as a reminder of the challenges they face in a competitive Western Conference.
Originally reported by clutchpoints.