NBA looking ahead: Mavericks to play host to Timberwolves on Monday

LOOKING AHEAD

Minnesota at Dallas, Monday, 5:30 p.m. PST

This wasn’t a game anyone had circled on their calendar heading into the season. Minnesota is without stars Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio. Dallas is completely retooled and without Dirk Nowitzki, its best offensive player. None of it has mattered for two of the league’s early surprises. Former USC star O.J. Mayo is experiencing a breakthrough in his first season with the Mavericks, scoring 62 points on 22-for-35 shooting in two recent victories. Nikola Pekovic and Andrei Kirilenko have put bite into a Timberwolves roster that was expected to be toothless without its top two players.

—Ben Bolch