Connect with us

Dallas, TX

Mavericks vs. Timberwolves Game 3 Preview: 3 things as Dallas looks to put Minnesota on the brink

Published

on

Mavericks vs. Timberwolves Game 3 Preview: 3 things as Dallas looks to put Minnesota on the brink


Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks return to Texas as conquering heroes and with a 2-0 series lead; two games on the road won by a total margin of four points. After Denver and Minnesota took turns exchanging blowouts, this series has been a “you bought the whole seat but you’ll only need the edge of it” non-stop thrill ride.

Taking the 2-0 lead is a huge accomplishment for sure, but there’s no sense that this is a team that is going to rest on their laurels. Without tempering the post-game celebration too much, Coach Jason Kidd reminded his team that they’d just stolen two games on the road – Minnesota was no doubt going to try and do the same. The Mavs should be riding high, but there’s work to be done in Dallas.

Take command

In their previous two series, with a 2-1 series lead, the Mavericks had opportunities in game four to take a commanding series lead. It doesn’t take advanced stats to tell you being up 3-1 is a world apart from being knotted up with two wins apiece. However, after a 31-point comeback against the Clippers, and despite leading nearly the entire game against the Thunder, Dallas wasn’t able to clinch either of those game fours. It’s a little surprising considering Dallas has often looked like the best closing teams in these playoffs, able to lean on Doncic and Kyrie Irving in the clutch to bring home the win.

Now, up 2-0, the Mavericks have another shot at putting the opponent on the brink. They deserve enormous credit for how resilient they’ve been, never losing back-to-back games this postseason, bouncing back strong from that pair of game-four losses. But it’d be nice to see this team assert their will and put themselves in an overwhelmingly dominant position. Not that the job is done at 3-0, but a larger margin for error is always welcome. (Plus, not to look ahead, but it doesn’t seem like the Pacers are going to provide much more than nominal resistance to Boston’s path to the finals, especially if Tyrese Haliburton is out for game three.)

Advertisement

No notes, keep it up

Dallas’ defensive track record speaks for itself in these playoffs (unless you’re a national NBA talking head who just thinks Dallas’ opponents just keep missing shots). In particular, they have made scoring in the paint a nightmare for opposing teams all playoffs. That has held true against Minnesota, even with Rudy Gobert down low and Anthony Edwards trying to attack the rim.

In the first round, Edwards was scoring 30% of his points in the paint. In the next round, against Denver, the number jumped to just north of 43% of his points. Against Dallas, Ant is scoring just 15% of his points in the paint.

With Dallas’ concerted effort to close down the paint and restricted areas to any and all opposing players, teams have been more reliant on jump shots and three-pointers. Edwards, who has by his own admission been gassed at the end of games, has had to rely more on on his outside shot to put points on the board. Tired legs and long jumpers just don’t mix. Minnesota’s scoring output has fallen precipitously in each of the first two games the longer they played, often lucky to pass the 20-point mark in the fourth.

The Mavericks’ defense is body blows all game long. They need to continue to wear teams down, guard the paint with their lives, and live with the occasional hot game by the Naz Reid’s of the world.

All out blitz

After a game where Doncic had a 32-point triple-double and shot over 45% from three, it’s not a wild expectation that Minnesota will try to do all they can to limit Doncic; even if it means giving up good looks for other players.

Advertisement

After a series where P.J. Washington and Derrick Jones Jr. took turns lighting it up from deep, both have been a little quieter on the offensive side this series. In two games, Washington is just 2-of-12 from deep while Jones Jr. is 0-for-5.

Those two are too important to Dallas’ defense to be out of the game for long, but when they’re not knocking down shots, it forces Coach Kidd to search for a spark from someone else off the bench. In game two, he was cycling through Jaden Hardy, Tim Hardaway Jr, and Dante Exum during a second quarter where the Wolves were building their 18-point lead, hoping one of them would provide some pushback on the scoreboard. The rotations are just a little easier to pilot if he can count on some offense from one of his starting wings.

Washington and DJJ are both due for a hot shooting game, and if Minnesota decides to sell out to stop Doncic at all costs, the shots will be there for them. They just need to knock ‘em down.

How to watch

You can broadcast or stream the game on TNT at 7:00 p.m. CDT.



Source link

Advertisement

Dallas, TX

Dallas weather: Widespread thunderstorms bring flash flood risks and brief heat relief

Published

on

Dallas weather: Widespread thunderstorms bring flash flood risks and brief heat relief


A wave of scattered thunderstorms is expected to bring heavy rain, localized flooding risks, and brief relief from the July heat to North Texas and the Texoma region starting Sunday afternoon.

Severe weather risk

Advertisement

The Storm Prediction Center has placed the entire region under a low-level risk for severe weather. Forecasters warn that while widespread severe conditions are unlikely, any strong storm cells that develop could produce localized flooding, small hail, frequent lightning, and damaging wind gusts between 50 and 60 mph.

We have a lot of moisture on hand. The atmosphere is primed for highly efficient rainfall. This is where the isolated flash flood threat starts to come in. If these areas get another round of rain through the overnight hours, of course, then that threat starts to elevate.

Timeline:

Advertisement

The weather system began moving through Sunday morning with an initial cluster of storms focused heavily near Sherman in Grayson County, alongside isolated pop-up showers stretching east toward Delta and Red River counties. The broader Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex remained largely dry early in the day, with temperatures hovering in the late 70s to low 80s.

However, conditions are expected to shift rapidly as daytime heating pushes temperatures into the mid-90s.

Advertisement

Sunday Afternoon (3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.): Storm coverage will become more scattered and widespread across North Texas.

Sunday Evening & Overnight: Pockets of heavy, intense rainfall are projected to stall over parts of the region.

Monday Morning Commute: Lingering showers and light rain are expected to persist through sunrise, threatening to create slick roadways and slow down the Monday morning rush hour.

Advertisement

Live Radar

Temperature Outlook and Drought Relief

Despite the storm threat, the rain will be welcomed. The rainfall is expected to help alleviate the onset of the typical mid-summer drought conditions North Texas experiences this time of year.

Advertisement

The accompanying cloud cover and rain will provide a temporary break from intense summer heat. While Sunday’s forecast high of 95 degrees sits exactly at the mid-July average, temperatures will dip slightly below average to 93 degrees on Monday and Tuesday.

A gradual drying and warming trend will begin mid-week as the low-pressure system slowly slides out of the area. Rain chances drop to 30% by Tuesday and will continue to taper off through Thursday. By Friday and next weekend, the typical July weather pattern is expected to return, bringing hot and dry conditions back to the region.

7-Day Forecast

Advertisement

The Source: Information in this article is from the FOX 4 weather team.

WeatherSevere WeatherDallasFort Worth



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Dallas, TX

Mark Cuban takes legal action against the Dallas Mavericks ownership over proposed arena deal

Published

on

Mark Cuban takes legal action against the Dallas Mavericks ownership over proposed arena deal


The Dallas Mavericks have undergone a radical transformation since the heartbreak of the 2024 postseason, where a loss to the Boston Celtics signaled the end of an era. The decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025 remains one of the most polarizing moments in league history.

While the move shocked the basketball world, it effectively reset the franchise’s trajectory. By sheer luck, or what some critics continue to call “rigged” fortune, the Mavericks secured the first overall pick in the 2025 draft, allowing them to select Cooper Flagg

Flagg has already proven to be a franchise-altering talent. Winning the Rookie of the Year award in the 2025-26 season, he became only the second rookie in the last 50 years to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.

Mark Cuban reveals the moment when it became clear to him that Luka Doncic would excel in the NBARoberto Ortega

Advertisement

The current front office is now laser-focused on building a sustainable, long-term contender around Flagg, ensuring that the team avoids the structural missteps that ultimately limited the Doncic years. With a roster now defined by youthful energy and versatility, the Mavericks are positioning themselves for a future where Flagg serves as the undisputed face of the organization.

Mark Cuban’s Legal Battle Against Former Franchise

The landscape of Mavericks ownership is currently embroiled in legal friction. Mark Cuban, the billionaire entrepreneur who sold his majority stake in 2023, has filed a petition in Dallas County district court seeking sworn testimony from a corporate representative of the Arena Development Institute

The core of the dispute centers on the franchise’s pursuit of a new arena at the former Valley View Mall site in North Dallas.

Cuban alleges that the team’s new governor, Patrick Dumont, is systematically shutting him out of major business decisions. According to court filings, Cuban maintains that he was contractually entitled to participate in the Valley View investment opportunity, a deal he believes he should have had a hand in.

The tension stems from a handshake agreement Cuban claims he had with Dumont and majority owner Miriam Adelson upon the sale of his stake. Cuban asserts that the deal included his continued oversight of basketball operations, a role he claims was stripped away and handed to former GM Nico Harrison without his input.

Advertisement

The relationship has devolved into what Cuban describes as “adversarial business practices.” In a particularly blunt exchange, Cuban alleges that Dumont challenged his influence by asking, “Why would I give you control of a $4 billion asset?” despite Cuban still retaining a 27 percent stake in the team

While the team’s current management moves forward with plans for a new arena, slated to open for the 2031-32 season, Cuban is fighting to reclaim a seat at the table.

A Legacy of Transformation

Before this public fallout, Mark Cuban’s tenure as majority owner was defined by a total overhaul of the franchise’s culture. When he acquired the team in 2000, the Mavericks were largely an afterthought in the professional sports landscape.

His 24-year run as owner culminated in the franchise’s most glorious moment: the 2011 NBA Championship. Under his leadership, the Mavericks became a perennial playoff contender, fostering a standard of excellence that transformed the team into a global brand. 

Regardless of the current legal animosity, Cuban’s legacy remains the bedrock upon which the modern Mavericks were built.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Dallas, TX

Mark Cuban takes legal action against Dallas Mavericks ownership over potential new arena deal

Published

on

Mark Cuban takes legal action against Dallas Mavericks ownership over potential new arena deal


Mark Cuban has gone to court over frustrations that he’s being kept in the dark about the Dallas Mavericks moving forward in their quest to build a new arena.

Cuban’s lawyers have filed a petition in Dallas County district court seeking sworn testimony from a corporate representative of the Arena Development Institute, a company formed by Mavericks ownership in Delaware.

In June, the Mavericks announced that they had entered into an option agreement for the potential purchase of 104 acres of land at the former Valley View Mall site in North Dallas.

The Mavericks’ lease at American Airlines Center expires in 2031, and the team hopes to move into a new building ahead of the 2031-32 season.

Advertisement

Cuban claims that this potential new arena deal could violate contracts he already has in place with the Mavericks’ owners in Texas.

In the document Cuban filed, he outlines his version of how he sold his majority stake in the Mavericks to Miriam Adelson and her son-in-law Patrick Dumont, the Sands Corporation CEO who also serves as the Mavericks governor. Cuban said he began working with them in 2019 to pass gambling in Texas. Their goal at the time was to build a “Venetian style destination resort” somewhere in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

In 2023, Cuban officially sold his majority stake in the Mavericks to Adelson. Cuban said that they had a handshake agreement in place where he would remain in control of the Mavericks’ basketball decisions while Dumont would be in charge of the team’s business side.

“This handshake agreement was reiterated in multiple emails and orally in the presence of Dumont, Miriam Adelson, another NBA owner, and Mavericks employees,” Cuban’s legal action read.

The Athletic asked Cuban if he could produce these emails. Cuban replied, “Can’t say anything at all.”

Advertisement

Dumont, of course, leaned on former general manager Nico Harrison to make basketball decisions, which went well — at first. The Mavericks made separate moves for P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford ahead of the 2024 trade deadline, which resulted in them catching fire to close that season and making a surprise run to the NBA Finals.

But all of that goodwill was erased when Harrison decided to trade Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025 — a failed move that eventually cost Harrison his job.

In May, Dumont hired Masai Ujiri — a championship-winning executive who spent 12 seasons running the Toronto Raptors — to take over in Dallas as president and alternate governor. Ujiri will clearly wield significant power in Dallas. In one of his first major moves, Ujiri chose to fire coach Jason Kidd, despite Kidd having more than $40 million remaining on his contract.

Cuban maintains a 27 percent stake in the Mavericks but has minimal say in the day-to-day operations of the team. In the petition Cuban filed in court, he claims that Dumont once told him, “Why would I give you control of a $4 billion asset?”

— Melody Gutierrez and Nathan Fenno contributed to this report

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending