Houston nearly beat the Warriors last postseason in a thrilling seven-game series. They have accrued so many young players over the last handful of years in their rebuild after James Harden left, and last year’s playoff exit signaled the need for a change. Jalen Green was the obvious candidate to be shipped out, and that is exactly what they did. It was obvious they needed scoring, so they went and got the best scorer they could get: Kevin Durant.
Now the expectation is a championship. Durant is 37 but as efficient as ever. He is surrounded by young talent and enough defense to allow his sole responsibility to be putting the ball in the basket. The Rockets are desperate to get back to the NBA Finals after years of underwhelming results, and Durant has a chance to win a ring void of “superteam” labels. This is a big pairing for the two parties, and one that comes with a lot of pressure.
Houston Rockets: Over/Under 52.5 Wins (-105/-115)
Last Season: 52-30
Additions: Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith, Josh Okogie
Losses: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet (injury)
The Rockets are going to be very good. Durant completes that team in a sort of poetic way, and Ime Udoka is a fantastic coach. Unfortunately, they lost point guard Fred VanVleet to injury before the season began, so Amen Thompson will be forced into a much larger role. They have a similar roster to the Mavericks, with a plethora of forwards and a collection of big men. Their issue without VanVleet, much like Dallas, is finding enough ball-handling to make the offense work. Unless Reed Sheppard is a revelation, 53 wins a bit too high for the way the Rockets are constructed.
Prediction: Under 52.5 wins (-115)
The Dallas Mavericks host the San Antonio Spurs in the opening game of the season for both teams on Wednesday night. The game will be broadcast on ESPN at 8:30 pm local time.
It’s Cooper Flagg’s NBA debut and according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the former Duke forward will be getting the start at point guard. A new era is truly upon us. He’ll be facing off against Victor Wembanyama, the other generational draft pick from recent years. Here’s the main things you need to know before the game.
- WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs San Antonio Spurs
- WHAT: The Mavericks finally play meaningful basketball in a season opener on ESPN
- WHERE: Michelob ULTRA Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
- WHEN: 8:30 p.m. CST
- HOW: ESPN, also Playback with Kirk
Join us on Playback!
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On the injury front, Kyrie Irving is obviously out for the Mavericks. Dante Exum is also out with whatever is wrong with his knee. Daniel Gafford is listed as doubtful as of the most recent injury report. The Spurs will be without the services of De’Aaron Fox, Jeremy Sochan, and Kelly Olynyk.
There’s already a fair amount of writing up on the site about this game. Check out the longer game preview here and then there’s the gambling preview here, though if you’re reading this it’s probably past time to submit bets. I enjoyed this piece on vibes too that was fun to participate in.
I get to write the recap tonight. Check back for that and other game posts later.
As you can tell below, you can join me in a room on Playback (embed below) during the game (though I may not be able to start it until halftime). Also consider joining Josh and I on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube, we should start around 10:15 pm. Thanks so much for spending time with us here at Mavs Moneyball. Let’s go Mavs!
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The Dallas Mavericks lost to the San Antonio Spurs by 33 points Wednesday night in Dallas. Lack of spacing, shot creation, defensive cohesion – and too much Victor Wembanyama – are just some of the issues the Mavs struggled with in the nightmare start to the season.
During the preseason, the Mavs have been very vocal about wanting to be an elite defense this year. And after a lackluster effort on the defensive end in game one, Jason Kidd was asked what went wrong defensively in his post-game interview:
“Our offense. It starts offensively, so we’ve gotta be better offensively and that will help our defense.”
The Mavs seemed to struggle creating shots for others all game, but Kidd didn’t see it quite that way. The solution is simple, he says:
“We didn’t have trouble, we just didn’t pass the ball. That’s easy to fix. Just make a play for a teammate.”
The number of assists by the starters backs this up. Dereck Lively, who only played ten minutes at center due to foul trouble, led the starters in assists with three. Only six assists all game came from the five starters, and none from Cooper Flagg.
On a side note and personal pet peeve, maybe it’s not a good idea to put a rookie natural four in the position of point guard, no matter his incredible talent, to start his NBA career, as Kidd has been wanting to do. I wrote a whole thing about why, here. Flagg did fine in his debut, however, with a double double of ten points and ten rebounds, he’s a great player and will get his time to shine soon.
Back to the problems with passing the ball. Anthony Davis, 22 points and 13 rebounds, didn’t look the part of a franchise player at all, despite leading all scorers, isolating too much and settling for midrange jumpers. He had one assist. After the game, he made clear that he saw way too much isolation offense – hopefully he was including himself in this statement:
“We were playing a lot of isolation basketball, we’re not gonna win games like that. We got guys that are capable of doing it, but we don’t want to play like that… We gotta be able to move the basketball from side to side and get good looks,” he said after the game.
The diagnosis may be spot on. But is the fix that simple? The problem with calling something an easy fix like Kidd did, is the fact that people will hold you up to that next game, and the games after that.
Was it that easily fixed? Just pass the ball? Or is there an underlying issue here that needs to be addressed?
Maybe the lack of a true point guard who can create on the highest level to match the incredible talent on the team is starting to show? Maybe positionless basketball doesn’t work when most of your roster is limited to one position?
These are just some of the questions we should ask ourselves after a blowout loss to a team, which – granted – has the next European superstar leveling up as we speak. But don’t the Mavs have the next American superstar? And don’t they have one of the best defensive bigs in the league?
There are a lot of questions left unanswered after the season opener. Let’s hope Kidd and the team find a way to solve both the easy and the hard problems facing this group before long. Or maybe just remind them to pass the ball more.
Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.
Where are we after one game in the books and 81 of these things remaining, Mavs fans?
Have all our suspicions about mystifying roster construction been confirmed, or are we still clinging to the front office’s crystal clear “defense wins championships” vision, firm in pre-established conclusions that this team just has to be good this year?
Well, perhaps the Washington Wizards’ Friday date with the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center will illuminate us all a little further. Or, maybe a better result against a perennial NBA cellar dweller will let those of us clinging to preconceived notions do so a little while longer.
As of the NBA’s 8:30 p.m. Tuesday injury report, Daniel Gafford has been upgraded to questionable for Friday’s game against the Wizards. Washington will be without the services of guard Bilal Coulibaly in Dallas, while he recovers from hand surgery.
Foul trouble
Dereck Lively II picked up his third foul before the end of the first quarter in Wednesday’s season-opening loss to the Spurs. Anthony Davis followed him to the bench when he picked up his fourth before halftime. Yes, it would have been great to have Daniel Gafford in off the bench when Lively picked up his second with 1:15 left in the first, but regardless of Gafford’s injury status, there is no reason on God’s Green Earth that Lively should have been in the game to pick up his third 40 seconds later. Looking squarely in your direction, Jason Kidd.
Where Gafford’s absence really made an impact was when Davis picked up his second with 7:40 left in the first half. Kidd’s hands were more tied in that situation, with Lively already saddled with three. Davis went on to pick up two more fouls in the half’s final 2:47 to swing the doors wide open to a second half chock full of small-ball minutes from the biggest roster in the NBA.
There is enough blame to go around here. Without Gafford, the Mavs’ other big men have decidedly less room for boneheaded mistakes on the defensive end. Kidd also has to think inside the box more and get these guys out of the game when the situation on the floor calls for it. He wants to trust his guys, and he trusted them to a fault in the season opener. That can’t happen against a Wizards team that will force both Lively and Davis to defend smaller, more agile guys (aside from the 7’0” Alex Sarr) with its roster makeup.
Ball security
Cooper Flagg and Ryan Nembhard, the two rookie ball-handlers the Mavs featured instead of relying more on the historically unreliable D’Angelo Russsell, turned the ball over three times apiece in their respective NBA debuts, accounting for six of the team’s 16 turnovers on the night. Russell played just 15 minutes in the season opener against the Spurs.
Our own Kirk Henderson noted in his recap of the Spurs’ runaway win over the Mavericks on Wednesday that the significant role that Nembhard was forced into on Night 1 of the season points to greater problems with the team’s roster construction, and I can’t agree more. Again, sure, if would have been nice to have Dante Exum around as another option in the backcourt against the Spurs, but Exum is not the solution to this team’s problems. All Exum would have been is just “another guy.”
The guard positions are a problem for this team. The fact that Kidd didn’t have more trust in the veteran Russell than for 15 minutes on the floor is another head-scratcher. Because even if you don’t like his game or didn’t like him as an offseason addition, which I did not, he’s a better option in the short term than throwing an undrafted two-way rookie to the wolves to start the season.
Passing and cohesion
This one may take a little longer, or a roster move, to address. It points back again to roster construction.
The Mavericks’ starting five combined for a whopping six assists in the team’s 33-point loss to the Spurs on Wednesday. To me, fixing the lack of quality shot creation we saw on Wednesday isn’t as simple as just starting a true point guard and ball distributor instead of Cooper Flagg at the point guard position.
The obvious choice for starting point guard if that’s what you’re trying to accomplish would, again, be Russell. He’s established. He, at very least, knows what he’s doing at that position. But he’s never been an assist machine at point guard in his 10-plus-year NBA career. He’s always been more of a scoring point guard, averaging in the five-to-six assist range for the last several years. He managed three in his 15 minutes on the floor against San Antonio.
So, we’ve arrived back at roster construction. Kidd can call the fix a “simple” one all he wants. To me it doesn’t seem so simple if the solution does not currently exist on the team’s roster. The Mavs need a distribution hub to make this offense move, but who on this roster can they turn to for that very necessary skill? At present, the team is searching.
How to watch
The Mavericks host the Wizards on Friday, with the game set to tip at 7:30 p.m. CDT. The game will be broadcast locally on KFAA Channel 29 and streamed on MavsTV.
The Dallas Mavericks kicked off their 2025-26 campaign against the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday at the American Airlines Center, a thrashing by Victor Wembanyama and Co. Now that the ball is rolling it got us looking ahead to the rest of the calendar for our annual tradition. Every season there is, inevitably, a handful of games that get you off your couch questioning God or planning a parade route. These are the Rage/Rejoice games of the season. The unexpected ones where the personal stakes are higher and the emotions are stronger. Here, the games that will make you rejoice. Whether it’s teams they have no business beating, or rivalry wins that feel a bit sweeter. Pop the champagne, we’re going streaking.
Nov 21: vs New Orleans Pelicans
Even though divisions don’t matter in the NBA, the Mavericks have no favors facing the volume of young big man talent in the Southwest. The aforementioned Wembanyama at the top of that food chain, but there really is no rest anywhere you turn.
Circle November 21, when the Mavericks host the Pelican in group play of the NBA Cup. While one can assume they won’t exactly matchup opposite each other, it will be fun to see Cooper Flagg face off against another former Duke Blue Devil in Zion Williamson. With added stakes (your mileage may vary) to this November game ahead of the holidays, this should be a highlight-filled home game to lock into, where the Mavericks surprise media and threaten to advance in the upstart tournament. Speaking of Flagg…
Jan 19: at New York Knicks
Flagg made his Madison Square Garden debut with the Duke back in February of this year. He posted 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, including this smooth move to the rim.
By Flagg’s college standards it was a modest performance. But strange start time aside, the rookie will be deep into his first season, have his legs under him, and will be more comfortable with the ball in his hands by the Mavericks visit to New York for their MLK Day matchup. Plenty of eyes will be on this moment, televised nationally on NBC and Peacock. The Knicks have a lot of big defensive bodies to throw at him, but mark this game as a moment Flagg comes into his own as a pro.
Mar 1: vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
The defending champion Thunder lost just 14 times last regular season. Three of those losses were at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks. And this was the pre-Luka trade Mavericks, so the Thunder weren’t checked out and feeling pity on their opponent down I-35. You can’t explain it, I can’t explain it. But last season’s Mavericks (and the playoff Mavericks the summer before that) had the Thunder’s number.
A lot has changed since those pre-trade wins. Luka is gone, the Thunder bulked their way to the 2025 title, and the Mavericks are on a quest for a new identity. On paper I’m not sure the Mavericks have any business sticking with OKC. Not if the opening night version of the Mavericks show up.
But by March 1 they won’t be the opening night squad. First the Thunder have been plagued by one man: Paul Jamaine Washington. The Mavericks forward has pestered them in the playoffs and regular season — PJ just shows up, and he does again here. And this time he’ll be playing off of a returned Kyrie Irving. Who is to say when Irving returns and how much he’ll really have in the tank this season. But for the sake of argument (and dreaming) we’re assuming the starting scoring guard returned nearer the all-star break, got some rhythm games under his belt, and this March 1 game is the moment he gives Mavericks fans hope that they still have some juice heading into next season.
The Mavericks lost their second straight game to begin the 2025-26 season and their home opener on Friday night in embarrassing fashion, 117-107 to the Washington Wizards. Kyshawn George led the way for the Wizards with 34 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and five steals. Dallas native Tre Johnson also added 17 points, and Alex Sarr had a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double. Anthony Davis led another pathetic performance for Dallas with 27 points and 13 rebounds.
The script was the same for the Mavericks in Friday’s loss as we saw in the season opener on Wednesday. Dallas started aggressively and looked dominant against a team that won 18 games last season, taking a commanding 35-28 lead. The Mavericks lost the game early in the second quarter, starting the quarter 0-for-8 from the field, while the Wizards put together an 11-0 run. It was 41-39 Washington when Davis made the first field goal of the second quarter for the Mavs with seven minutes left before halftime.
Davis and PJ Washington carried the Mavericks through the rest of a sluggish second, while the Wizards piled up 27 points in the frame. At halftime, the score was 58-52. The Wizards’ bench outscored the Mavericks’ bench 31-10 in the first half, and the Mavericks as a team had shot 5-for-20 from 3-point range. It was the perfect recipe for losing to a lottery team at home.
The second half started off as sluggish as the second quarter; the Wizards quickly extended the lead to 12 points, which they mostly sustained throughout the rest of the game. The Mavericks tried some different looks in the 3rd quarter, giving Jaden Hardy the green light and going with a three-guard lineup to try and generate some offense. The Mavericks kept up offensively, matching the Wizards in field goals for the quarter and even outshooting them from 3-point land in the third.
It did not matter, as the Mavericks could not seem to stop the Wizards, who scored 6 field goals in the paint in the quarter, leading to a 13-point Washington lead going into the 4th. The Mavericks tried to make it a game, whittling the Wizards’ lead down to six before the 10-minute mark of the quarter. Cooper Flagg tried to save the day for the Mavs, going 3-for-5 and leading the charge to keep it close. Head coach Jason Kidd subbed Flagg out after his hot stretch to get Anthony Davis going, who smoked an and-1 attempt, missed the front end of his ensuing free throws and then had a turnover leading to a Wizards’ bucket that put them up by eight.
Naji Marshall fouled Bub Carrington on a 3-point play late, which pretty much ended the game. Kidd let Flagg check back, and the rookie promptly responded with a thunderous dunk, but then turned the ball over a couple times while running the point down the stretch. The lack of ball security allowed the Wizards to maintain their lead and steal the win in Dallas. While the Mavs showed some fight and more competence than they did against the Spurs on Wednesday, it was still an embarrassing loss.
The Mavs’ offense is a mess
The Mavericks’ offense just looks lost. From the coaches to the players, going through multiple lulls against the Washington Wizards, where you do not score baskets, is simply unacceptable for a team with expectations as high as the Mavericks. The lineups are a mess and inconsistent. Jason Kidd seems to be experimenting early, which he is known to do, but you usually see some of the experiments work.
The half-court offense is the worst. The Mavericks run two sets: one is a pick-and-pop with Davis, and the other is a dribble-handoff with Davis. Other than that, Kidd is trusting a bunch of wings and centers to create offense for themselves and others through isolation, which just feels like a disaster. From the starters to the garbage time players, each lineup seems to score on one of about every four possessions, and that simply is not sustainable. The Mavs were outshot from 3-point range, took fewer free throws, shot 7% worse from the field, were out-assisted, and had more turnovers against the Washington Wizards at home. That’s the story of the game.
Be patient with Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg showed us tonight why he was the consensus number-1 draft pick this past June. In the first quarter, he was 1-for-2 from the floor and showed his passing skill set early, finding a number of open teammates who left his potential assists unfinished. He also had a rebound and an assist in about eight minutes, a good showing for the rookie after he could not find the basket until the late second quarter on Wednesday. The most impressive part of Flagg’s night was the early part of the fourth quarter.
The rookie got himself to the line multiple times and took over the game with a contested 3-pointer and an insane dunk to bring the Mavs within four.
Kidd subbed him out while he was hot, but the rookie showed a flash of the potential he has and will continue to unlock this offseason
Jason Kidd has given up on D’Angelo Russell
D’Angelo Russell was supposed to be the big offseason signing for the Mavs. The thought was that Russell would be able to provide some stability for the Mavericks on the offensive side of the ball, while his defensive deficiencies would be hidden behind a stifling Mavericks defense. In a close game against a bad team in which the Mavericks struggled offensively, Russell played only eight minutes, and none in the second half.
This includes Kidd’s experiment with a three-guard lineup of Ryan Nembhard, Jaden Hardy, and Max Christie. Russell had one point, three assists and zero turnovers in the first half, but could not stay in front of anyone and was 0-for-3 on some questionable shot selection. Kidd quickly pulled the plug and sat the vet for the entire second half of a game you badly needed his theoretical abilities in.
The second loss of the season summed up in one thought? Yea, it was even more discouraging than the first.
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This week’s SB Nation Mavericks React poll had two questions, and I posted them early enough in the week that they might be interesting to look back on by next Friday. First, I asked about the Mavericks’ record. Dallas has a six-game home stand to kick off the year, and as of this writing, they’ve only played the Spurs. The result speaks to a fanbase optimistic on the season.
Given that many people may have voted AFTER the Spurs game, it seems we collectively believe this team is a lot better than how they played. I do hope they beat the crap out of the Wizards.
The second question was about who should start at point, Cooper Flagg or D’Angelo Russell.
The fanbase doesn’t want to see Flagg play point as much as Jason Kidd does. Whether it’s a Kidd disdain for Russell, a desire to help Flagg grow, or a mix of both, the majority of fans do not want to see Flagg at point guard. I tend to agree. He’s a play finisher right now. Maybe he can be something else one day, but if Dallas is trying to be a contender, this role doesn’t make sense for Flagg.
Then we pivot to the National survey results. The first question was about winning the East.
The Knicks and Cavs win out this poll overwhelmingly. With the Boston Celtics breaking apart, it makes sense, but neither of these teams strikes me as Championship ready.
The second question was about the Western Conference race.
The Thunder and Nuggets win out this poll, which tracks with my thinking. Shout out to the fans who have that faith in the Dallas Mavericks. The Warriors are a sneaky sleeper if you ask me.
The third question was a NBA Finals prediction.
Too much orange and blue between these two teams for my liking. Thunder would wallop the Knicks. Four game sweep kind of butt kicking.
The last question is about winning the Finals. These results are hilarious.
Only 7% of fans think ANY East team will win the Finals? It’s rough out there folks.
The Mavericks are 0-2. They have had few competitive minutes in the fourth quarters of the two games they have played. It is essential that they come out swinging against Toronto today. The Raptors have looked good through two games, and play the style of basketball that the Mavericks are trying to play. They’re second in pace and ninth in defensive rating, but they’re not bombing threes. In fact, they are the only team taking less threes than Dallas. They are running the floor and scoring inside the line, while moving the ball to the tune of 30 assists per game. The Mavericks are simply just going to have to be a better basketball team if they want to keep up.
Game intangibles
Toronto Raptors (1-1) at Dallas Mavericks (0-2)
Tipoff: 6:30p CT at the American Airlines Center in Dallas
How to watch: The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29, or streaming on Mavs TV for anyone in the Mavericks media market. For those outside of the viewing area, NBA League Pass will have you covered.
Odds via the Fanduel Sportsbook as of Noon CST
Spread: Dallas +1
Over/Under: 232.5 (-110/-110)
Moneyline: Dallas -104
Player props
Scottie Barnes over 17.5 points (-114)
Immanuel Quickley to record 8+ assists (+260)
Barnes is the exact type of player that has given the Mavericks fits over the first two games: athletic, versatile, and can score at all three levels. He can also turn defense into offense and score in transition. Quickley had nine assists in his only game as a Raptor versus Dallas last February, and because the Mavericks’ point of attack defense is so bad, he will be able to break down the Dallas D and kick to open players all night.
Game sides
Toronto ML (-116)
Mavericks to be the first team to 10 points (-111)
Jason Kidd is good at getting his team to get up for games. I think the Mavericks will come out hot and force an early timeout from the Raptors’ head coach Darko Rajakovic. Unfortunately, I will believe the Mavericks can score more than an opponent when I see it. Toronto will win this game.
The Dallas Mavericks came into Sunday night’s game with an 0-2 record, looking to get on the right track against the Toronto Raptors. Hardwood Classics Night afforded us the gift of beautiful green throwback jerseys and the original logo gracing center court, which may have inspired the players to win 139-129 in something that felt a touch like a must win.
Before we dive into the grades for this game, we invite you to check out the Comments section of the grades pieces we wrote for the Spurs and Wizards games where you can see good discussion between us (myself and Sudarshan Venkatraman, respectively) and you, our readers, regarding how we go about deciding on grades.
One change we’re going to try out for at least this game is displaying the numerical equivalent of our alphabetical grading system alongside the letter grade. As always, sound off in the Comments section. Let’s get to the grades!
COOPER FLAGG: A- {8}
22 PTS / 4 REB / 4 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 29 MIN
Flagg looked significantly better in this game than in the previous two, though a peek only at the box score may not be indicative of that assessment. He committed too many fouls and wasn’t necessarily a beast on the boards, but seemed more comfortable and took much better care of the ball. It felt like he took a nice little leap forward in only his third game, finding teammates, throwing down numerous dunks and hitting a big fourth quarter three as the Raptors were making slight inroads. His shooting was solid, he converted all four of his free throws and played solid defense despite the fouls.
KLAY THOMPSON: B+ {7}
10 PTS / 4 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 20 MIN
Part of me wanted to grade Thompson a bit lower, but for 20 minutes of play, I’m not sure he could have given the team much more than he did. He was aggressive shooting the ball and converted 57% of his shots (4-for-7 with 2-for-4 from three), even pulling down a disproportionate number of boards. He didn’t feature much late in the game, and this evening may be evidence he should be coming off the bench so Flagg can play the two guard and Russell can start, but that’s a story for another day. In limited time, Thompson gave the team good production before letting Christie take the reigns en route to a nice nigh of his own.
P.J. WASHINGTON: A- {8}
17 PTS / 7 REB / 5 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 32 MIN
Washington leads the charge in oddities that get the benefit of the doubt for a higher grade. Although he didn’t shoot lights out (6-for-14), he did a few things you wouldn’t expect that deserve recognition. Case in point, he doled out five assists, second only to point guard D’Angelo Russell. He made strong plays, going through contact to finish and get to the free throw line, setting the tone for aggressive offense and defense in this one. If he dropped 17/7/5 every night on reasonably efficient shooting, everyone in Dallas would be over the moon with excitement. A block or two wouldn’t have hurt, but overall Washington is off to a great start this season.
ANTHONY DAVIS: A {9}
25 PTS / 10 REB / 3 AST / 3 STL / 2 BLK – 34 MIN
Davis can be a bit of a conundrum. He racks up stats in a way that makes it almost look easy. He didn’t seem to impact the game as much as he did, but a closer look shows he was all but dominant. He dropped another double-double, turned away shots, got steals, was part of the newfound passing and shot a ridiculous 11-for-14. He falls short of the top mark, not as a criticism, but purely because he’s shown in his hall of fame career he can actually do more. Still, this was an incredible stat-stuffing effort and nothing about it was empty.
DERECK LIVELY: B- {5}
4 PTS / 7 REB / 4 AST / 0 STL / 3 BLK – 21 MIN
Lively did not play poorly, but he just didn’t impact the game as much as would be expected. He hit both of his shots and had three emphatic blocks, and even dished out four assists, all of which bolstered his grade a bit, but only four points to go with two turnovers while committing three fouls in limited time, leaves a bit to be desired. Also being part of Raptors’ big man Sandro Mamukelashvili going out of his mind didn’t help Lively’s cause. Lively is better than this, but can likely fix things easily by committing fewer fouls and staying on the floor. The rest will take care of itself.
D’ANGELO RUSSELL: A- {8}
24 PTS / 6 REB / 3 AST / 3 STL / 0 BLK – 29 MIN
Russell broke out in this one and played a big part in the outcome. Getting playing time was a key factor in his performance, and he made the most of his minutes. His shooting efficiency (8-for-18) could still be better, but after starting 0-for-7, he then went a blistering 8-for-11, so the shooting struggles may be resolved. He had three steals to go along with six assists and confidently nailed a big three in the fourth quarter to keep the game out of reach as the Raptors were trying for one last push. If he can produce like this every night, fans are going to feel just a little bit better as they await Kyrie Irving’s return.
MAX CHRISTIE: A- {8}
17 PTS / 2 REB /2 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 27 MIN
His game didn’t necessarily smack of top marks, but if the Mavs can get 17 points out of Christie on 5-for-8 shooting including 3-for-5 from three, they’re going to have some good outcomes ahead of them. Christie looked confident all night and made some savvy little plays that won’t hit the box score. He turned it over twice, but dished a pair of assists and got a steal while hitting all four of his free throws. Terrific game for him off the bench.
NAJI MARSHALL: A- {8}
12 PTS / 6 REB / 3 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN
Marshall did what he does best. Played solid defense, committing only a single foul, passed the ball well, and got himself if the best position for success. For a guy who basically never has a play run for him, he puts himself in position to succeed. In only 25 minutes, he hit all four of his shots, all four of his free throws, out-rebounded everyone who wasn’t a starter (and out-rebounded two of them as well) and made a few timely buckets of the and-one variety. Not your typical “A” grade, but the shooting and timeliness of some of his buckets give him a bump.
Dallas looked much more engaged than they did in the first two games, with better pace, a handful of nice alley-oops and an overall feel that the five players on the court hadn’t met each other for the first time just prior to tipoff. Cooper Flagg looked like he took a big leap in his general feel for the NBA game and players like Derek Lively, Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall appeared more like their best selves. Despite once again not starting a true point guard, Dallas‘ players clearly got the memo that the ball needed to move a lot more than it had been in the first two outings. One of many such demonstrations of this understanding was when D’Angelo Russell grabbed a rebound and passed it to Cooper Flagg who was already past half court and needed but a single dribble before taking off for a thunderous dunk and and-one.
Oddly, Dallas’ expected calling card – defense – was still lacking significantly for big parts of the game. After giving up 60 first half points to the Spurs and 58 first half points to the Wizards, the Mavs gave up an even worse 66 first half points to the Raptors. This trend needs to stop immediately. Turnovers were also a problem yet again, with Dallas registering eight in the first quarter alone.
Overall, the question is whether Dallas just slept through their first two games, or somehow unlocked a multitude of doors since Friday. Whatever the case, the team is trending positive, in that they have improved progressively since the opener last Wednesday. Even in the microcosm of this single game, they played better as the game went on. If they can keep this trend going, one can begin to see something that is a good bit more fun and capable than what we saw over the past week. I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
Mark Aguirre, one of the first faces of the Dallas Mavericks franchise, will finally be able to watch his jersey lifted to the rafters at American Airlines Center.
Team Governor Patrick DuMont announced on Monday that Aguirre’s Number 24 jersey will be retired on Jan. 29 before the Mavericks host the Charlotte Hornets.
At 6’6” and 230 pounds during his playing career, Aguirre had the Mavericks’ record for most points in a season with 2,330 in 1983-84. That mark lasted for 40 years until Luka Dončić broke Aguirre’s record with 2,370 points in 2023-24.
Even 45 years after he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Mavericks in 1981, Aguirre remains in the top five of virtually all major offensive categories in Mavericks history. He ranks third on the Mavericks’ all-time points list with 13,930, trailing only Dirk Nowitzki and Rolando Blackman. He’s one of the greatest Mavericks in franchise history and was a pillar of the 1980s Dallas teams that pushed the mighty Los Angeles Lakers’ Showtime era to the brink in the playoffs.
Mark Aguirre
Made 3 All-Star teams and averaged 24.9 PTS, 5.8 REB, 3.8 AST over his first 7 seasons with the Mavs
He averaged 29.5 in his 3rd year in the leaguepic.twitter.com/CYw0IQnwIX
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) June 26, 2025
Mark Aguirre is a three-time NBA All-Star, earning all three of his All-Star nods during his time with the Mavericks. He went on to win two NBA Championships with the Detroit Pistons in 1989 and 1990. He averaged 24.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists over his first seven seasons in the NBA with the Mavericks, including a whopping 29.5 points per game in his third year.
“Wow, this is too much for me,” Aguirre said when he was given one of his green No. 24 jerseys by Dumont at Monday’s announcement and told no Maverick will ever wear it again. “My kids always wanted to witness this. Was this ever going to happen? I’ll talk to them all night tonight. Daddy’s jersey is retired. Wow, man. This is big. This is huge.”
The move is a long time coming. Aguirre helped build the Mavericks into a force in the Western Conference in the franchise’s young years. As the team tries to slough off the skin of its fourth era with Dončić as the leader on the floor and move into a fourth with Cooper Flagg as the new face of the franchise, retiring Aguirre’s jersey might serve as a reminder to fans that this franchise knows how to remember its past, even in the face of change. It knows how to honor. It knows the importance of saying Aguirre mattered — even if the ending got messy, with Aguirre assigned the role of fall guy for a team in decline.
“The way this came to be is, we were talking about great Mavericks, and we realized we have such a strong history as an organization,” Dumont said. “Is there anybody whose jersey we should retire. And we realized there was one really strong candidate. And there were others. But this one came to the front. He’s such a talented player. He meant so much to the history of the team. He was a No. 1 pick. And we felt like it was the right time.”
Fresh off their first win of the season last night, the Dallas Mavericks played host to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on night two of the back-to-back set. Once again sporting their throwback green jerseys, the Mavs couldn’t bring their green magic this time, falling 101-94.
Let’s get to the grades!
COOPER FLAGG: C-
2 PTS / 2 REB / 0 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 31 MIN
The second night of his first NBA back-to-back ought to be summarily forgotten by all parties. The less said about this one, the better, as there is virtually nothing positive whatsoever. Make no mistake, this game is really a D. A 1 out of 10 in every sense. That said, we’re not going to bury the rookie in his first back-to-back against the defending champs, so a C- it is.
MAX CHRISTIE: C+
14 PTS / 2 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 31 MIN
Christie had a chance to start due to the absence of Dereck Lively, and he certainly earned it with his play across the first three games of the season. For most of the game he didn’t make a convincing statement to be the starter going forward, but then, he nearly did. He nailed some huge threes to keep the Mavs connected and ended up shooting well despite not contributing much else in terms of stats. Solid game building on a solid start to the season.
KLAY THOMPSON: C-
8 PTS / 4 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 22 MIN
Thompson got the benefit of a slightly higher grade last night, but that isn’t the case tonight. He grabbed himself a few boards, but that’s about the only high note. Thompson is here to shoot, and while he connected on a few threes, his overall shooting was basically terrible. The guy is a legend and hall of famer, but these first few games are showing he might be better suited coming off the bench so Flagg can slide to the two guard and D’Angelo Russell can start at point.
P.J. WASHINGTON: B-
15 PTS / 9 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK – 38 MIN
Washington didn’t have his typical game against the Thunder (where he generally dominates), but he still played relatively well. He and Anthony Davis have arguably been the most consistent players so far this season, with Washington probably taking the crown despite less gaudy numbers. He’s simply been solid. That said, he had the worst plus/minus by far for most of the game, and bricking as many free throws as he did really drove his grade down in an otherwise decent night.
ANTHONY DAVIS: A-
26 PTS / 11 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 38 MIN
Davis single handedly kept the Mavs in the game in the early going, getting nearly anything he wanted despite OKC’s height and overall defensive tenacity. After getting destroyed by Victor Wembanyama in the season opener, Davis quieted some of the doubters in this one going up against size and excellent defense.
D’ANGELO RUSSELL: C-
9 PTS / 2 REB / 10 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 30 MIN
Russell had me all but convinced that his second half play from last night was going to be the new world order going forward, but alas, it was not. Russell could not shoot the ball, yet took what would have been a game-tying three for another miss. That’s a microcosm of his game, but for how well he was passing and how poorly he was shooting, that ill-advised shot was the cherry on top of a disaster sundae.
NAJI MARSHALL: C-
9 PTS / 4 REB / 0 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 23 MIN
Marshall hit his free throws, but like most of the other Mavs, a single item is really the only positive in a generally ugly game for nearly everyone. Marshall is a valuable asset to the Mavs, playing solid defense and scoring without plays being run for him, but virtually none of that happened in tonight’s game.
After giving up 60, 58 and 66 first half points in their first three games respectively, Dallas’s defense showed flashes of what it was touted to be, giving up only 48 in the first half to the defending champs. Perhaps even better, Dallas only gave up two free throws in the first two frames, against a team that was averaging over 30 per game (granted they had two double-overtime games thus far). Unfortunately, Dallas hasn’t quite hit on all cylinders at the same time this season as they figure things out. The Mavericks shot a woeful 15-for-45 (33.3%) and put up only 42 points over the same span.
Entering the second half in striking distance, the Mavs got smacked, giving up 39 points in the third quarter alone. They deserve a ton of credit for making things interesting down the stretch with a huge 15-0 run. Had they made even half that effort in the third, this could have been a different story. It’s notable that Thompson was on the bench in the clutch, Russell was on the floor running point (despite a poor game), and Jaden Hardy was a huge part of getting the Mavs back in it.
This has not been an ideal start to the season, but the Mavs showed a ton of heart and showed glimpses they can legitimately hang with the best when things are going even somewhat right. They fouled much less (against a team that has been a magnet for fouls) and kept it interesting despite their two-headed center monster sitting on the bench. If the team can collectively be at it’s best, they may just yet be scarry.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
The Mavericks were 1-3 this past week and sit at 14th place in the West. They got beat by San Antonio (125-92) in the home opener and followed that up with a loss to Washington (117-107). They got on the board with a win against Toronto (139-129), but a late comeback fell short, and they lost a dog fight to Oklahoma City (101-94). Anthony Davis led the team in scoring over this stretch with 25 points per game. Daniel Gafford (ankle), Dante Exum (knee), and Kyrie Irving (knee) have yet to make their season debuts. Dereck Lively played three games before injuring his knee and missed Monday’s game against the Thunder. Brandon Williams missed two games due to personal reasons.
Grade: D
The Mavericks have had an interesting start to the season, to say the least. The first two contests were baffling, both in how porous the defense looked and how much Jason Kidd bought into the idea of a guardless lineup. Getting pounded by the Spurs looks a lot less egregious in hindsight, given how dominant they look with Victor Wembanyama. But losing to a young, weird Wizards team with little to no fight until the fourth quarter was incredibly disheartening.
One not-so-small reason the Mavericks turned things around in some way was Anthony Davis’ shot-making. In the first two games, Davis was just 16-of-41 from the floor. If you break it down, he shot 2-of-8 from three, 14-of-33 from two, and just 11-of-25 in the paint. When your starting big man is shooting 44 percent in the paint, you cannot win games. To his credit, he cleaned it up and posted two excellent shooting performances (11-of-14 and 10-of-16) after two stinkers.
The vision of what this team can be was present against the Thunder. That was the type of rock fight that we expected going into the season. The first three games were defensive atrocities, but it looked a lot more cohesive against Oklahoma City. They held the Thunder to just two points over a seven-and-a-half-minute stretch, fueling a comeback that gave Dallas a shot at the tie with 34 seconds left.
The shot-making is what it is. It is going to be as volatile as can be until they figure out the lead guard role. But there are building blocks in place for the success of this team. They have to play consistent defense. They have to make their inside shots. They have to utilize the offense to create open looks, or scoring will come at a premium. There have been flashes, but they have yet to put together a full game of the basketball they want to play.
Straight A’s: Cooper Flagg
One thing that stood out in the team’s first four games is that Cooper Flagg is far and away the team’s best offensive engine. He is poised under pressure (for the most part), his jump shot looks fluid, and he has flashed some playmaking that displays his progress as a ball-handler. At some point this season, they are going to have to hand him the keys to the offense. Sure, he is only 18 years old. But when guys have it, it is obvious. And Cooper Flagg has it. Plus, we need more highlights like this:
COOPER FLAGG AND-1 POSTER SLAM
NBA League Pass
https://t.co/cRUBKOfvP4 pic.twitter.com/o1aeTb93i9
— NBA (@NBA) October 27, 2025Currently Failing: The opening unit
Jason Kidd has to switch up the starting lineup. The lack of a point guard kills the ability to get off to a hot start. On Monday night, they went down 11-2 before D’Angelo Russell was subbed in and the Mavericks scored 10 of the next 15 points. That is a nine-point deficit they surrendered because Kidd is stubborn in a seven-point loss. The team needs a steady ball-handler to be successful. Kidd even said this after their loss to Washington. Given that he likes to experiment for the first month or so, the “Flagg at point guard” test will likely continue for some time. But the Mavericks’ best lineups will continue to be the ones where an actual point guard is initiating the offense.
Extra Credit: A new tradition
If you have ever been to a Dallas Stars game, you’ll know that the National Anthem before the game sounds a bit different. That’s because whenever the song mentions the word “star”, a loud “Stars!” yell can be heard from every fan in attendance, as a tribute to the hometown team. Mavericks fans have picked up on this, and as a clever counter, have started to yell “Flagg!” when the word “flag” is sung in the anthem. It is a cool tradition to help embrace the Mavericks’ next young star:
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Mavericks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
This one should get some fun results. It’s posting BEFORE the Pacers game and I have a feeling that game will make most of us feel a lot better about how Dallas has looked and played.
The Dallas Mavericks played host to former head coach Rick Carlisle and the Indiana Pacers, grabbing a 107-105 win in a relatively ugly affair. Unexpected players stepped up in a big way to eek out the win, but the injury list grew when Anthony Davis checked out midway through the first quarter.
Let’s get to the grades!
COOPER FLAGG: A-
15 PTS / 10 REB / 4 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 35 MIN
Coming into the grading, not many “A” rankings were on my mind. The game was relatively ugly and something of a futility match. That said, a double-double in his fifth ever NBA game, on 6-for-11 shooting and a perfect 3-for-3 from the free throw line gets you there in this one. Despite a negative plus/minus, Flagg had a very solid game with only two turnovers and two fouls.
MAX CHRISTIE: C
10 PTS / 2 REB / 4 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 33 MIN
Christie put on a generally uneventful show, missing more shots than he made to the tune of 43% shooting, a percentage brought low by his 1-for-4 from beyond the arc.
KLAY THOMPSON: D
5 PTS / 1 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 22 MIN
At the expense of possibly jinxing it and finding a new low in the future, this is about as bad a game as you can get out of Thompson. 2-for-10 from the floor and 1-for-6 from three just can’t happen when your primary objective is to shoot. It’s getting to be like a kicker in the NFL who makes 50% of his field goals. We all know the narrative that Thompson finds his form a month or two into the season, but the Mavs are going to struggle enduring nights like this if that’s the case.
P.J. WASHINGTON: C
9 PTS / 11 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 2 BLK – 28 MIN
Washington put up decent numbers in a near double-double, adding a couple of nice blocks on the defensive end, but his shooting was nearly horrendous at every level. 2-for-8 from the floor (0-for-2 on threes) and 5-for-8 on free throws. It was nice he earned trips to the line, but even one more in the made column would have been helpful in such a close game.
ANTHONY DAVIS: N/A
4 PTS / 4 REB / 0 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 7 MIN
Davis was trending toward a monster game, though two turnovers in just under seven minutes is far too many. The unfortunate story here though, is that Davis made it through only four game this season before enduring another injury, this time a mysterious lower leg… something (the in-game details given from the team were murky at best).
D’ANGELO RUSSELL: C
14 PTS / 2 REB / 5 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 20 MIN
The overall shooting was better than the prior game, but that is largely because it couldn’t have been much worse. Even still, from beyond the arc, Russell was but 1-for-5. That poor shooting along with an almost inexplicable for turnovers drove his grade down, just not quite to the basement.
NAJI MARSHALL: D
3 PTS / 2 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 22 MIN
You’re probably noticing a theme that there just isn’t much to say about a number of these performances. Like Thompson, Marshall barely contributed anything, though he at least brought intangibles on defense. Three points, all by way of free throws, and only two rebounds is well below what Marshall can bring, even on ho-hum night. This was something worse than that.
DWIGHT POWELL: A+
18 PTS / 6 REB / 0 AST / 1 STL / 2 BLK – 29 MIN
Powell might not be in consideration for an A+ again this season, so he’s getting while he can. It’s not just a frivolous gift thought. Powell’s performance was a huge part in the Mavs actually winning, and while the grade may seem intentionally provocative, I can’t imagine anyone would have this performance on their bingo card, especially for a guy who certainly came into the game thinking he’d get spot minutes at best. Instead, he had to take over for Davis, who himself was playing center for the injured Dereck Lively. Kudos to Powerll for 4-for-6 shooting and a ridiculous 10-for-12 on free throws. He racked up too many fouls (four), but brought it in ways none of us would have really banked on.
BRANDON WILLIAMS: A-
20 PTS / 7 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 22 MIN
Williams was easily the best player on the Mavs from a stat-stuffing standpoint, and all 20 of his points (to lead the team off the bench) were massive in a two-point game. His low assist total and an astonishingly awful three attempt late in the fourth quarter (it was surprising it didn’t go straight through the backboard) ding the grade a bit, but scoring nearly a point a minute for a dysfunctional offense that lost its best player in the first six minutes is something noteworthy, especially coming off a difficult few days on the personal side of things.
This game was pure ugly. If you missed it, enjoy the grades and our other game coverage, and be happy you were otherwise occupied. The inability or lack of urgency in covering the three point line has been a massive annoyance for years now. Holding a 12-point lead with just minutes to go, and then allowing the Pacers to can three-pointer after three-pointer was frustrating to say the least. Indiana missing the game winning three when no one secured the rebound on a missed free throw was a gift. Still, a win is a win, and the Mavs need as many as they can get, especially against a team that is as inured as Indiana (who has yet to get a W).
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
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The date is Tuesday, November 12, 2024. College basketball season is just eight days old, and you’re watching perhaps the biggest matchup of the season to date. The Kentucky Wildcats are playing the Duke Blue Devils on ESPN, and it’s a tight game coming down the stretch. In fact, the game is tied at 72 with just 20 seconds left, and Duke is about to do something for the first time this season: Put the ball in true freshman Cooper Flagg’s hands and let him go win a ball game for them. However, this was no storybook ending for Flagg and the Dukies, as Cooper committed turnovers on back-to-back possessions in a five-point loss.
Cooper Flagg turned the ball over two possessions in a row late in regulation.
No. 19 Kentucky takes down No. 6 Duke 77-72pic.twitter.com/11fiwuov61
— ESPN (@espn) November 13, 2024
In that first marquee game against the Wildcats, Flagg had just two assists and three turnovers. In Duke’s first game against Arizona in Tucson, Cooper had three assists and four turnovers. And in their last marquee out of conference game against Kansas, Cooper Flagg had three assists to five turnovers. It all bore out in the eye test, too. While Flagg certainly had his moments in all of those games, for the most part it looked like he was uncomfortable trying to be the engine for a team’s offense in the early stages of the season. Sounds familiar, right?
Once Duke got into conference play, Flagg blossomed in his role. Sure, his first ten games last year at Duke (as a 17-year-old, mind you) were a bit clunky. Those next 20 games? How does 21.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists on 53% shooting from the field and 45% from deep sound? Bear in mind that during this stretch, he had thirteen games with at least five assists.
This included the NCAA Tournament, where he played arguably his best game against the Arizona Wildcats. Remember how earlier in the season, Cooper had three assists to four turnovers against Arizona? Well, the second time out he totaled seven assists to just one turnover while having total control of the ball game. It was so good that I wrote a whole breakdown on his performance in the game. That’s the type of player this guy is.
There are already people who are ready to give up on the point-Flagg experience with the Mavericks, mostly due to the struggle that he and the team are having. However, giving up on this now would be the equivalent of breaking a butterfly out of its cocoon before it can naturally get out of it. Sure, the butterfly gets the instant gratification of getting out. But in the long run, the butterfly’s wings are too weak to fly on its own because it didn’t endure the struggle.
Cooper Flagg is going to break out of the cocoon in the NBA. He’s only done it everywhere he’s been, from high school in Maine, to Montverde and Duke. Flagg has proven to be an elite problem solver and one who grows into the best version of himself. Go look at what Cooper Flagg’s shot looked like at Montverde Academy, and then go watch what it’s looked like so far in the NBA. Imagine telling that guy to stay confined to any given box you want to place him in.
Growing pains happen in this league, folks, especially for a guy who should be playing his freshman year at Duke this season. Flagg is a special talent who thrives off the challenges he’s presented. You don’t put elite competitors like him in a box and tell them to stay there. Instead of complaining about how this team shouldn’t put Cooper in these spots, enjoy the fight; There’s beauty in the struggle. And with a player of Cooper Flagg’s caliber, you’ll see why it was all worth it sooner rather than later. After all, he’s only been working for this his whole life.
The Dallas Mavericks hold a 2-3 record after five games, good for the 12 Seed in the Western Conference as of Thursday morning. Although it is a small sample size, there is enough behind the numbers to begin identifying trends.
There was no question coming into the season that head coach Jason Kidd would have some creative decisions to make regarding his lineups. He ultimately elected to go without a traditional point guard in the starting rotation, opting instead for a squad of Cooper Flagg, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively. The immediate question was how the team would fare without a true point guard leading the way, and the results have been somewhat mixed. In the opener, the team looked like a turnover machine of total strangers. Since then, they’ve taken better care of the ball and picked up their pace and passing.
The other glaring question was where the shooting would come from. With the starting lineup set, there was little outside shooting aside from Thompson, with playing time for players off the bench somewhat uncertain. Aside from a few individual hot stretches, the overall shooting has left something to be desired, with last night’s win over the Pacers putting a dark shade on ugly.
With five games in the books, the stats are beginning to reveal two realities that speak to these questions.
The Case for a Point guard
D’Angelo Russell has been a mixed bag so far. He didn’t break the 20 minute mark until the third game (playing as few as 8:30 in the loss to the Wizards), and is shooting only 32.7%. Despite this, there is a case to be made for having a true point guard on the floor to start. In fact, the Mavs have been their most successful in recent years when they have two capable ball handlers on the court at the same time. Despite some of his personal struggles, having someone who can orchestrate and pass allows other players to get to their spots and play at their best, which can result in a better overall outcome. Case in point is the team plus/minus with and without Russell. These numbers are the difference between maybe being 4-1 or even 5-0 at this point, rather than sitting in 12th place.
The Case for Shooting
The Mavs are stacked at the forward and center positions (notwithstanding health), so much so that they are starting one of them at point guard. The only obvious shooter in the starting rotation is Klay Thompson. The only problem is that he can’t find his groove. Impossibly, Thompson is shooting worse than Russell at 31.3% overall and just nearly 26% from three. Meanwhile, Max Christie is shooting a blazing 51.9% from three, good for fourth on the league leaders list (minimum 25 attempts).
The Case for Change
The solution isn’t quite as simple as starting Russell and Christie, as that would raise questions of whom between Washington, Davis and Lively moves to the bench (and it certainly won’t be Davis). Still, if both can’t happen, one of the two should. Russell getting more minutes than his current 21 per game would at least solve some of the problem, even if he wasn’t starting. Christie is a different story though. If Thompson can’t find his form quickly, the Mavs are going to have to give serious consideration to Christie starting in his place. It would give the Mavs more youth and athleticism, and much better comparative shooting at this point. It may even serve Thompson well to come in and microwave score in the second unit.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are heading south of the border for an international showcase in Mexico City, where they’ll face a Detroit Pistons team that’s finding its rhythm early this season
After being one of last season’s great success stories, the Pistons have gotten out of the starting blocks a little slow this season
Both teams enter this matchup with records hovering around .500 – Dallas at 2-3, Detroit at 3-2 – but they’re trending in different directions. While the Pistons are coming off a dominant 135-116 victory over Orlando and have won three of their last five, the Mavericks have been a bit Jekyll and Hyde, following up a 101-94 beat down against the Thunder with a narrow win against an injury-riddle Pacers team, that was nearly a loss had Aaron Nesmith hit his open three as time expired.
Dallas does have a two-game win streak in Mexico based on their wins in 2017 and 2019, so maybe the Mexico Boost can get Dallas back to .500.
Shut up, we’re a small ball team now
Yeah, yeah, Dallas started the season with dreams of running two-big lineups, forwards at every position, and stuffing every player shorter than 6’5” in a locker. Well, forget all that, we’re going back to small ball.
This season started with fans and general NBA observers wondering how in the world Dallas was going to get Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively, and Anthony Davis enough minutes on the floor.
A pre-season injury to Gafford simplified that issue, but then additional injuries to Lively and then Davis mean that the Mavs have gone from overloaded in the front court to potentially having to lean entirely on Dwight Powell and Moussa Cisse.
That said, Dwight “The Eternal Maverick” Powell was Dallas’ second-leading scorer against Indiana with 18, behind only Brandon Williams’ 20. If nothing else, the injuries give leeway to head coach Jason Kidd to devise some of the dumbest, nonsensical lineups you can imagine, and that no opposing team could have possibly planned for.
Welcome to the Brick Show
So far this season Dallas is managing just 107.8 PPG on 44.5% shooting. That’s good for second to last in the league in terms of offensive rating. Detroit hasn’t done much better, shooting an even worse 44.1% from the field. Still, they’ve managed to score in excess of 110 points in every game except for their 116-95 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
These are two teams that rank near the bottom of the league in nearly every offensive category. Though, even on the defensive side, things are murky. Detroit is holding opponents to 43.5% shooting from the floor — fifth best in the league. Dallas has the league’s eighth-best defensive rating, but their sixth-worst Net rating shows just how bad their offense has been at the same time.
Dallas may have found an offensive spark in Brandon Williams, who stands to receive an increase in playing time considering Dallas’ injuries. His impressive end to last season and team-leading 20 points indicate that he’s capable of being a regular contributor.
Neither team is clicking offensively, so it might come down to who manages to eke out the most possessions. And with how both of these teams have struggled with turnovers so far this year (both averaging nearly 17 a game) there will be ample opportunity for one team or the other to generate looks.
The end of October Klay
For his career, Klay Thompson has shot 41% from three. Peaking as high as 44% in the 2017-18 season. It’s notable, then, that with a 13-year sample size, Klay is shooting under 35% from three in the month of October across his whole career. It’s the only month where he’s consistently shot the three-ball below 40%. This year, that number is even worse, as he’s shooting just a shade under 26% from deep so far.
The good news is that this will be the final game Dallas plays in October. The better news is that Klay’s shot has always found its way back to him, as he’s shot 40+% in every non-October month in his career. The thought of a 40% three-point shooter would be a godsend for this team offensively, but Dallas would likely settle for even league average instead of de facto turnover when Klay gets his hands on the ball.
How to Watch
You can broadcast or stream the game on Peacock or Telemundo at 9:00 pm.
MMBets: How to Wager the Mavericks and Pistons in Mexico City
Can the Mavs snap Detroit’s early-season momentum south of the border?
The Dallas Mavericks (2–3) face off against the Detroit Pistons (3–2) tonight in Mexico City, tipping off at 9:00 PM CT. While the neutral-court setup adds some intrigue, this game also presents a test of depth: both teams enter with key rotation players either out or listed as game-time decisions.
Dallas is coming off a win but still sits near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Detroit, meanwhile, has won three of its last four and is looking to keep pace in the Central Division. The Pistons are currently 7.5-point favorites, and ESPN’s matchup predictor gives them a 72.8% chance to win.
Will the altitude matter? Will the Mavs’ patchwork guard rotation hold up? And is there any value on this board? Let’s scan the lines and find out.
Game Fixtures
November 1, 2025 — Dallas Mavericks (2–3) vs. Detroit Pistons (3–2)
Tipoff: 9:00 PM CT — Arena CDMX, Mexico City
How To Watch: Peacock / Tele
Odds via Draft Kings Sportsbook as of 4:45 AM CST
Spread: Detroit -7.5
Total: 225.5
Moneyline: DET -305 / DAL +245
Game Sides
SGP +122
Leg 1: Detroit Pistons Moneyline
Leg 2: Cade Cunningham 9+ Assists
The Mavericks are missing Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, and Anthony Davis, leaving their interior defense in the hands of Dwight Powell and P.J. Washington. Against the athleticism and interior strength of Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson, that’s a mismatch from tip-off. Cade Cunningham should thrive as a facilitator, racking up assists as Detroit dominates the paint.
Dallas’ only wins so far? A blowout over a shaky Toronto squad and a home squeaker against Indiana’s second unit. Between the altitude, the travel, and the injuries, this is a tough setup for a shorthanded team still finding its rhythm.
Detroit rolls here.
2-4.
That’s the Mavericks’ record after the latest game, a 110-122 loss to the Detroit Pistons in Mexico City. Now that the “Homestand” is done, Dallas sits comfortably close to the bottom of the Western Conference (Thanks New Orleans!) and looks destined to be a lottery-bound team once again.
The Mavericks were without most of their Center rotation for this game (Shocking!), and it showed as the Pistons bullied their way to a 72-26 advantage in the paint. Daniel Gafford’s return to the lineup wasn’t a placebo for the Mavericks’ defensive issues, as the big man was on a minutes restriction and looked like someone who hadn’t had a full training camp to acclimate to game speed.
Jalen Duren & Cade Cunningham imposed their will on the Dallas defense, with Duren scoring a career-high 33 points and Cunningham dishing out 18(!) assists with only one turnover – most of them lobs to Duren in the pick & roll. It seemed like a very familiar sight for Mavericks fans to see someone tear the defense apart at will – we’re probably still adjusting to the fact that we’re now on the receiving end of these.
D’Angelo Russell did his level best to keep this game from turning into a laugher with some wild shot-making in the second and third quarters, but ran out of steam in the fourth when the Pistons dialled in defensively and ran away with the game.
Let’s look at how Dallas graded out in their latest loss against the Detroit Pistons:
Klay Thompson: C-
11 Pts/3 Reb/1 Ast/1 Stl/0 Blk/0 TOs in 20mins
Klay got it going early and kept the Mavericks connected to start the game, but was ultimately played off the floor by the Pistons’ younger, more athletic wings. At this point in his career, Klay should be coming off the bench as a sparkplug to take advantage of the opponents’ second units, not as the starting guard for this team. His shot-making might ultimately return, but his defense has tailed off dramatically as he’s aged, and the Mavericks can’t afford that to start every game.
P.J. Washington: C-
6 Pts/5 Reb/5 Ast/0 Stl/3 Blk/2 TOs in 36mins
It seems like when PJ has an off night, it’s awful. This was certainly the case in Mexico City, where Washington looked like he couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn. He was 3/13 from the floor and 0/6 from the 3-point line. With him rounding into his “Prime”, the one thing that he needs to focus on is adding consistency to his game. The Mavericks can’t afford to have these wild swings in his production. Not with how thin this roster is from a scoring standpoint with Kyrie out.
Alley-oop’u bloklamak mı?
PJ Washington’dan şahane savunma hamlesipic.twitter.com/5bck5wFoC2
— NBA Türkiye (@NBATurkiye) November 2, 2025Daniel Gafford: C
7 Pts/4 Reb/3 Ast/0 Stl/0 Blk/0 TOs in 18mins
Gafford’s return seemed like a godsend with the news that Anthony Davis would miss the next few games with a Calf Strain, but the Landlord has been out since the first practice of Training Camp, and it showed. The coaching staff played him in three-minute spurts and kept him on a tight minutes restriction, but Gafford looked sluggish and outmatched against the younger Duren.
Cooper Flagg: C
16 Pts/8 Reb/4 Ast/1 Stl/0 Blk/1 TOs in 34mins
Most casual fans watching this game would be alarmed at Cooper Flaggs’ performance against Detroit – He was 3/14 from the floor and missed badly on a couple of drives, but for an 18-year-old rookie, the process was good. With DLo assuming the point guard role for most of the game, Flagg could move to his more natural off-ball role with a lot of screens and cuts being designed to get him the ball on the move. The finishing will come in time as he acclimates to NBA-level physicality and pace, but for the time being, we will have to be content with these small steps, particularly with the state of the roster being what it is.
Cormac Christie: B-
13 Pts/6 Reb/5 Ast/0 Stl/0 Blk/1 TOs in 33mins
With Davis out, Cormac got the start and made a case that he needs to take Klay’s role in the starting lineup. Christie was confident with the ball in his hands and showed off some playmaking nous, finishing the game with a team-high 5 assists (Tied with PJ). As the Mavericks’ most consistent three-point shooter, the coaching staff has to scheme some more looks for Cormac, particularly from the corners where he’s among the league leaders in the 3pt FG%.
Dwight Powell: C
5 Pts/6 Reb/1 Ast/0 Stl/0 Blk/2 TOs in 19mins
Powell couldn’t replicate his heroics from the other night against the Hospital Pacers as he found himself outmuscled and was bullied by the more athletic and physical Jalen Duren & Isaiah Stewart. He was still serviceable for a fourth option Center, though, finishing the game with a team-high plus-minus of 2.
D’Angelo Russell: A-
31 Pts/7 Reb/3 Ast/0 Stl/0 Blk/4 TOs in 30mins
The only reason that this game wasn’t a 20–30-point blowout was D’Angelo Russell. Yes, he had some boneheaded turnovers in the fourth quarter that effectively iced the game for the Pistons, but DLo was the Mavericks’ offense. Takeaway his 7/13 from beyond the arc, and all the other Mavericks combined shot 9/32, which amounts to 28%. Yuck.
Naji Marshall: D
7 Pts/2 Reb/0 Ast/1 Stl/0 Blk/2 TOs in 23mins
Naji has to be better. It’s as simple as that. The Knife was dreadful in this game, finding himself consistently out of position on the defensive end and looked unable to handle Detroit’s physicality on the offensive end. While he opened his three-point account for the season in this game, he was also badly off on his other two attempts, even airballing one of them. He finished the game with a team-low plus-minus of -21.
Brandon Williams: B-
12 Pts/0 Reb/0 Ast/1 Stl/0 Blk/3 TOs in 17mins
Williams gets buckets. That’s it. He’s not the player who’s going to run the offense and get others going. He’s someone who’s going to torch opponents’ bench units and look for his own shot. The past two games have illustrated that fact quite well, and Williams has shown that he needs to be running the second unit with DLo starting as the main PG until Kyrie returns.
Caleb Martin: D
2 Pts/2 Reb/1 Ast/0 Stl/0 Blk/0 TOs in 12mins
LOL. That’s probably the only reaction to Caleb Martin’s game right now. How he got 12 minutes of playing time is a mystery to most, but Martin looked every bit of an end-of-bench rotation player while he was on the court against Detroit, proving forever more that Nico Harrison is the dumbest GM in the league right now.
𝙄𝙎𝘼𝙄𝘼𝙃 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙒𝘼𝙍𝙏
Caleb Martin’e acayip bir blok yapıyorpic.twitter.com/emReEghIx2
— NBA Türkiye (@NBATurkiye) November 2, 2025
