The Minnesota Timberwolves have been one of the NBA's streakiest teams this season, and they hope their 108-83 win over the Golden State Warriors on Monday marks the start of another strong run.

To secure back-to-back victories, Minnesota will need to play at their best when they travel to face the improving Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.

Monday’s win snapped a five-game losing streak — the longest the Timberwolves have endured this season. Although the Warriors were without stars Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, Minnesota managed to win without their own superstar, Anthony Edwards.

Edwards was a late scratch due to a foot injury, discovered after the team’s shootaround.

“It was news to me, honestly,” said Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch. “He had pain from the foot that's been troubling him.”

When asked if Edwards will miss Wednesday’s game, Finch said, “That's not been communicated to me, but again, I haven't really talked to the performance team since the decision was made to sit him on Monday.”

In Edwards’ absence, the Timberwolves leaned on defense, holding the Warriors to 34.7% shooting. Rudy Gobert delivered 15 points and 17 rebounds, while Bones Hyland added 17 points, seven rebounds, and five assists off the bench.

“It’s a long season,” said Timberwolves forward Naz Reid. “We have ups and downs. We haven’t had a moment where we lost four or five in a row in a long time. But we're not perfect, and it’s how you respond. We responded the right way, and now we’ve got to carry over the same energy.”

For the Mavericks, optimism is slowly returning despite a 116-110 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.

With the one-year anniversary of the Luka Doncic trade approaching, the spotlight is once again on that move. Since the Feb. 2 trade last year, the Mavericks have faced injuries to stars Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, the latter being a key part of the Doncic deal. Fan frustration over a slow start also led to the dismissal of former general manager Nico Harrison.

Despite the challenges, Dallas’ young core has provided reasons for excitement. Before Saturday’s loss, the Mavericks had put together a four-game winning streak, beating teams like the New York Knicks and Warriors.

Against the Lakers, the Mavericks held a late lead but could not contain LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, and Doncic.

“I thought the group did a great job competing,” said Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd. “We put ourselves in a great position to win a close game.”

Rising stars Cooper Flagg, Max Christie, and Brandon Williams have brought energy to the Mavericks this season. Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick last June, has impressed as expected, while Christie, a key piece of the Doncic trade, led Dallas with 24 points against the Lakers and has scored over 20 points in four straight games.

The Timberwolves and Mavericks face off on Wednesday, with both teams looking to maintain momentum as the season progresses.

—Field Level Media/Reuters