NBA roundup: Mavs enter worst slump since 1998 after losing to the T'Wolves

[p]Fresh from winning MVP at last weekend's All-Star Game in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-lakers/ngegZ8bg/"]Los Angeles[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/edwards-anthony/6u0BMZM2/"]Edwards[/a] also managed six rebounds, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gobert-rudy/boMyt82G/"]Rudy Gobert[/a] scored a double-double, with 22 points and 17 rebounds.[/p][embed guid="bd6ea4f4-c6d9-4e33-a086-ab7af0caca20" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2025048866362449953?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Down by 18 points in the second quarter, the ailing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/dallas-mavericks/YouS3mEC/"]Mavericks[/a] had nearly pulled off an improbable comeback.[/p][p]Dallas showed resilience to draw level at 103-103 with just under seven minutes to go, only for Edwards to take the game away from them again, with a final score of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/dallas-mavericks-YouS3mEC/minnesota-timberwolves-KjBIVQcI/?mid=WQBCvDXi"]122-111[/a].[/p][p][b]"We take pride in being able to win clutch games,"[/b] said Edwards. [b]"We struggled with that last year."[/b][/p][p][b]"We came out aggressive in the start, but it ended up going flat for us, and they found a run.[/b][/p][p][b]"Basketball is a game of runs, and they played real hard. So big shout out to those guys."[/b][/p][p]Fourteen of Edwards' points came in the final quarter. For the Wolves, it was an eighth win in 11 games, sitting fifth in the Western Conference.[/p][p]For Dallas, a 10th straight loss leaves the Mavericks marooned in 12th in the Western Conference, and outside of playoff contention. Their rookie teen [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/flagg-cooper/dInnahrB/"]phenom Cooper Flagg[/a] did not play, suffering a foot injury.[/p][embed guid="926ea149-114e-4a58-b00c-e7856375b328" url="https://x.com/dallasmavs/status/2025041569041060142?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Around the league[/h2][p]Elsewhere, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Oklahoma City Thunder[/a] stormed back from the NBA All-Star Game break with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/brooklyn-nets-bsAMUpDO/oklahoma-city-thunder-0fHFHEWD/?mid=zJ8TzVWG"]105-86[/a] win over the lowly [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brooklyn-nets/bsAMUpDO/"]Brooklyn Nets[/a], consolidating their lead at the top of the Western Conference.[/p][p]Having not played since last Thursday, the Thunder were still without reigning NBA Most Valuable Player [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gilgeous-alexander-shai/d6TE5wgc/"]Shai Gilgeous-Alexander[/a], with an abdominal strain, and star guard-forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-jalen/4G5tbqUi/"]Jalen Williams[/a].[/p][p]But the defending NBA champions showed their strength in depth, with half of their points coming from the bench.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mccain-jared/0AVdXU8C/"]Jared McCain[/a], traded from the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-76ers/vwRW2QSh/"]Philadelphia 76ers[/a] earlier this month, top-scored with 21 points, and praised the Thunder's "chemistry."[/p][p][b]"Me coming in, just trying to learn the defensive principles... there's a reason why they're so good at it -- so just trying to be aggressive on defence and create those turnovers on offence," he said.[/b][/p][embed guid="154a4727-54e2-4fb2-abd5-89483fc3593e" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2025057178067800442?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cleveland-cavaliers/xGk13Tb6/"]Cleveland Cavaliers[/a] won their seventh game on the trot, beating the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/charlotte-hornets/xftMikUg/"]Charlotte Hornets[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/charlotte-hornets-xftMikUg/cleveland-cavaliers-xGk13Tb6/?mid=hziwQDIb"]118-113[/a].[/p][p]It extended a joint league-best hot streak that has gathered pace since the signing of former MVP [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/harden-james/zm5V3CZo/"]James Harden[/a] earlier this month.[/p][p]Harden, the NBA veteran known as "The Beard," scored 18 points Friday, but was outshone by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mitchell-donovan/hhFqipLe/"]Donovan Mitchell[/a]'s 32, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/allen-jarrett/YFCdDdo1/"]Jarrett Allen[/a], who managed 26 points plus 14 rebounds.[/p][p]Later Friday, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated their local rivals, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-clippers/vPeTYlqm/"]Clippers[/a], in an intense derby [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/los-angeles-clippers-vPeTYlqm/los-angeles-lakers-ngegZ8bg/?mid=8W6yZ81T"]125-122[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doncic-luka/pQ4ZBK0o/"]Luka Doncic[/a] scored 38 points with six rebounds and 11 assists, well supported by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/james-lebron/nuIVxFJk/"]LeBron James[/a], with 13 points and 11 assists.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jokic-nikola/dUHaiJ5n/"]Nikola Jokic[/a] poured in 32 points as the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/denver-nuggets/CxvW27TI/"]Denver Nuggets[/a] handed the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portland-trail-blazers/4Awl14c5/"]Portland Trail Blazers[/a] a resounding [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/denver-nuggets-CxvW27TI/portland-trail-blazers-4Awl14c5/?mid=jiA0TnPj"]157-103[/a] defeat.[/p][p]The 54-point margin was the second-largest victory in Nuggets franchise history.[/p]