The Minnesota Timberwolves' defense suffocated the Dallas Mavericks, 133-94, in their fifth straight and largest win of the season on Thursday night.

A 39-point win margin surpasses the previous best of 26 points in a 127-101 blowout over the Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 30.

Minnesota continues to cement itself as one of the league's best defensive teams. Rudy Gobert's presence shuts down the rim while Jaden McDaniels neutralizes the other team's best perimeter scorer.

The Timberwolves added Jonathan Kuminga in the offseason, who embraced a more defensive-minded role, alongside McDaniels.

They took turns guarding Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. Flagg finished with 12 points on 5-for-12 shooting, and Irving finished with 10 points on 4-for-11 shooting.

Minnesota took firm grip of the game with a dominant third quarter. The team scored 36 points to Dallas' 17 and entered the fourth with a 34-point lead.

Five of the Mavericks' attempts were threes to open the second half. McDaniels and Kuminga contested those shot attempts and corralled the long rebounds to push the break.

It's a make-or-miss league, and the Timberwolves made their opponent pay for missing.

Kuminga said it's fun to play defense. He feeds off the defensive intensity coach Chris Finch demands from his players, motivating him to guard the best perimeter scorers.

The 6-foot-7 forward possesses the tools to become a great defender: a 6-foot-11 wingspan and top-tier athleticism, but he couldn't combine those traits at a high level at his previous stops.

Finch has unlocked Kuminga's defensive potential, and it's paid off. He's become a key piece of Minnesota's suffocating defense.

Like Kuminga, Ball has dormant defensive potential he rarely taps into. His 6-foot-7 frame and lightning-quick feet give him a solid foundation, and that showed in clutch possessions with the Charlotte Hornets.

He's taken more pride in defending since Minnesota acquired him in the offseason. Kuminga said he's proud that Ball is trying, and as long as he tries, the race will "handle itself."

Ball is averaging 1.8 steals per game, tying a career high from 2023-24 when injuries limited him to 22 games. Playing alongside one of the best perimeter defenders allows him to camp in the passing lane and anticipate steals.

The star point guard has recorded two steals six times this season, and three steals twice.

Defensive discipline is an underrated improvement for the 25-year-old in his seventh season. Ball is coming off a season-low one foul in Thursday's win.

On-court availability gives Ball more opportunities to command the defense and lurk in the passing lane for breakaway steals.