RSS Mavericks Team Notes

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs. Rockets Preview: 4 expectations Mavs fans need to reset as Dallas travels to Houston

Just six games into the 2025-26 season, it’s time for fans of the Dallas Mavericks (2-4) to adjust some of their expectations for this year. That will be especially true when the Mavs travel to Houston for their first away game of the season on Monday against the Rockets (3-2) at the Toyota Center.

The Rockets lead the NBA in points per game (127.8) and offensive rating (126.5) through their first five games, and they’re third in second-chance points per game (20.0). Kevin Durant (27.2 points, 5.4 rebounds per game) is turning back the hands of time with a young roster around him and Alperen Sangun (22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 7.6 assists per game) has been a revelation in both the low post and from the 3-point line early on this year.

Houston has all the tools to turn Monday’s game against a puzzling and beleaguered Mavericks squad into a bloodbath. Depending on who is available for the Mavs, this one could be done and dusted by the middle of the second quarter.

Here are four expectations you may have had six games ago that need to be put on the proverbial shelf as the Mavs meet the Rockets.

This is an elite defensive team​

The Mavericks come into Monday’s game sporting the eighth-best defensive rating (112.0) in the NBA, sure. I’m here to tell you that even that top-third placement six games into the season is chock-full of fool’s gold. The weight of an off night to end all off nights from the Oklahoma City Thunder (in a game the Thunder still found a way to win 101-94) and a narrow win over a team formerly referred to as the Indiana Pacers are boosting an otherwise spotty defensive record to begin the Mavs’ season.

Has Dallas defended the paint as well as we would have expected at this early juncture, or have the Mavericks been gifted some poor shooting nights from their first six opponents? Surely, injuries to Daniel Gafford, who played his first game of the season on Friday, only to get utterly abused by Detroit’s Jalen Duren, Dereck Lively and Anthony Davis play a role here, but this team is full of guys who have rarely been able to string together long healthy stretches. Lively (knee), Davis (calf) and Dante Exum (knee) have once again been ruled out for Monday’s game.

The expectation that a roster full of tall, tall trees would automatically translate to great defense, which was one of the preferred talking points of the coaching staff and front office in the preseason, should have been tempered by that fact. It was staring us all in the face the whole time.

At this point, Dallas ranks 29th in the league in opponent paint points per game (58.0) and surrenders a league-worst 21.8 points per game in transition. Only the Chicago Bulls (58.4) are worse at defending the paint right now. That’s, uhhh, not good, no matter how many minutes Dwight Powell is being forced to play due to injuries.

The Rockets come into Monday’s game in the middle of the NBA pack in both of those corresponding offensive categories. Houston is 13th in fast-break points (15.8) per game and 17th in paint points (49.6) per game. They lead the league in team 3-point shooting, at a scorching 45.4% to start the year.

Cooper Flagg is a shoo-in for Rookie of the Year​

What I’ve left unsaid in the phrasing of this section of my little post here is that Cooper Flagg’s development should be priorities one, two and three for this team. There is an expectation among parts of the Mavs fan base that says this team is in win-now mode — that the two-timeline tightrope is something the Nico-Harrison-led front office has the ability to tread. Strike this from your minds, my blue-and-green-clad brethren. Life is pain in 2025-26.

Which brings me to my greater point here. Flagg is not giving Rookie-of-the-Year in the first six games of his professional career. And that’s okay right now. Flagg is averaging 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists through his first six games.

Those glaring deficiencies you’re seeing? I’d argue those are more the product of what’s around him than anything wrong with him, or that we were all wrong about going into this year. His weaknesses — as an 18-year-old playing on a court with men 10 years’ experience and 30 pounds worth of advantage against him — are on full display as he tries to get acclimated to a position he’s never played before with little to no help around him on the perimeter.

In the absence of a floor general or dependable shooters along the perimeter, Flagg has been called upon to run the show, and, make no mistake, putting the ball in Flagg’s hands in his rookie season is a good thing. Allowing him to make mistakes and learn from them is a good thing. It’s just not always going to be pretty. The ugly bits are going to end up being the best bits for Flagg’s progression and development as a player.

To add some perspective, Philadelphia 76ers’ rookie VJ Edgecombe has set the NBA on fire to start his rookie season, averaging 21.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game through five games. The Memphis Grizzlies’ Cedric Coward has also impressed to the tune of 14.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game to start his rookie campaign.

Size is a nightly advantage​

First of all, injuries are already busy negating the size advantage the Mavs expected to wield this season. Gafford missed the first five games of the season with a bum ankle after stepping on Davis’ foot on the first day of Mavericks training camp in Vancouver, BC, on Sept. 30. Lively and Street Clothes himself went down soon afterward. Let’s disabuse ourselves of the notion that this roster was built with the purpose of “size” behind it. It was built by fools with a horde of chump fans parroting the party line of excitement behind them.

Second of all, if the bigs you’re building around can’t shoot, they’re basically rendered useless in the position-less, modern NBA, anyway. It’s no longer out of bounds to build a starting roster featuring two bigs — that seems to have come back into fashion a little bit in the NBA. But at least one of them has to be able to shoot it. And there’s a difference between thinking you can shoot it and actually being able to shoot it. Looking at you, Anthony Davis.

The Rockets feature a big man in their starting five who appears to have vastly improved his shooting touch this year. Alperen Sengun has made nine of his first 17 3-point attempts on the year through Houston’s first five games. There is a decent chance he will soon revert toward the mean, but if he’s able to even remotely sustain that kind of shooting, the Mavs are cooked on Monday and the Association is on notice.

Jason Kidd will make any singular, solitary move that makes even a lick of sense​

Why is D’Angelo Russell not starting or shouldering more of the ball-handling and playmaking responsibility on this team? What was he brought in to do exactly, if not give the Mavericks some semblance of stability in the backcourt?

Why did Mavs head coach Jason Kidd seem to want to depend on Jaden Hardy over Russell in crunch time against the defending NBA champion Thunder last week? Why does Kidd, a former point guard himself (and a great one!), seem to refuse to acknowledge that his former position is the most important one on the floor?

Why was it such a foregone conclusion to sign Kidd to his most recent contract extension? Why are you the way that you are, Mavericks?

It’s time to stop holding our collective breath waiting for Kidd & Co. to make the right decisions at the right moments. We’ve been through this for five years now. Making it make sense is off the table.

How to watch​

What’s firmly on the table is the distinct possibility that the Rockets will blow the Mavs out of Lake Houston on Monday, when the two teams square off at 7 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29 and regionally on MavsTV affiliate stations. It will also be streamed on MavsTV.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...w-anthony-davis-kevin-durant-cooper-flagg-nba

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Stats Rundown: 6 numbers to know from the Mavericks’ 122-110 loss to the Detroit Pistons

The Dallas Mavericks (2-4) figured out yet another way to lose a basketball game on Saturday, this time to the Detroit Pistons (4-2), 122-110, at Mexico City’s Arena CDMX.

Down two big men, Dallas tried to keep up with the Pistons by firing at will from 3-point range, and it worked — until it didn’t. They tried to lean on the hot shooting of D’Angelo Russell, who came off the bench for a team-high 31 points, and it worked — until he turned the ball over three times in the fourth quarter while the Pistons made 12-of-23 from the field down the stretch.

The Mavs were outscored in the paint by a jaw-dropping 72-26 margin down Mexico way. They turned the ball over 15 times in the second half. PJ Washington and Cooper Flagg combined to shoot 6-for-27 from the field in the loss, and those three were freebies, because I have six stats that loomed even larger than those in the Mavs’ latest loss.

Without further ado, here they are:

5: First-quarter buckets at the rim for Jalen Duren​

Jalen Duren’s five buckets in the first quarter put the Mavericks’ injury woes into clear focus to start the game. He connected with Arlington’s own Cade Cunningham to finish three lobs at the rim and scored in close twice more to go 5-for-5 for a game-high 10 points in the first. Fun fact — the Cunningham-to-Duren connection accounted for 60 lob finishes last season.

You’d like to be able to say it was too easy, but with the Mavs’ big, deep frontcourt wilting with injuries to Anthony Davis (calf) and Dereck Lively (knee), and with Daniel Gafford playing his first game of the year on a minutes restriction, the lane was always going to be open for business for the Pistons on this particular Saturday night.

Duren came into the game having scored 20 or more in two of the Pistons’ last three games. He scored 21 points and grabbed 13 boards in Wednesday’s 135-116 win over the Orlando Magic and had 24 and 18 in Sunday’s 119-113 win over the Boston Celtics. His two fouls in the first quarter on Saturday did a better job of slowing him down than anyone in a Mavericks uniform did early on.

The Mavericks stayed afloat despite getting outscored 20-10 in the paint in the first quarter, and Naji Marshall hit his first 3-pointer of the year with 26 seconds left in the frame to give Dallas a 30-27 lead at the end of one.

21-2: Pistons’ second-quarter run​

Dallas worked that slim lead at the end of the first all the way up to nine points, up 42-33 after D’Angelo Russell’s runner in the lane with 7:47 left in the second. They did it, in part, by defending the 3-point line in the first half, as the Pistons started the game 1-of-9 from 3-point range.

But, oh, how the turntables. From that point, the Pistons embarked on a 21-2 run to retake control of the game, albeit only briefly. They scored the first few from the free throw line, until Cunningham found Javonte Green cutting through the lane for his sixth assist of the first half for an easy bucket that brought Detroit to within 42-40 with 6:39 left in the second. Duren continued his perfect night from the field to that point by scoring on a 3-point play inside and another putback jam that gave the Pistons a 47-44 lead with 4:34 left before halftime.

Ausar Thompson nailed a corner 3-pointer, just Detroit’s second on the night from distance, with 3:23 left in the second to increase the Pistons’ lead to 54-44.

17-3: Dallas’ run in response​

Then things see-sawed back in Dallas’ favor for the final three minutes of the first half. The Mavs responded with a 17-3 run of their own to retake the lead going into the break. Flagg and Brandon Williams combined to fuel the Mavericks with 14 of the team’s final 17 points of the first half.

Williams hit two 3-pointers during the run, and Flagg broke out of his cold spell from the field with a big 3-ball of his own that brought the Mavericks to within one, down 57-56 with 1:12 left in the half. Flagg led Dallas with 10 points and five rebounds in the first half but shot just 2-of-8 to get there.

The Dallas defense limited Cunningham to just eight points in the first half. Duren led the Pistons with 17 points at the break and was on the bench for most of the Mavericks’ 17-3 run.

10: Mavericks’ first-half 3-pointers​

Dallas came into Saturday’s game averaging just over nine 3-point makes on just over 28 attempts per game in games played in the United States. All it took was a trip south of the border for the spice level to go up from behind the 3-point line, apparently.

Dallas made 10-of-27 (37%) from 3-point territory in the first half against the Pistons. Flagg, Russell, Kormac Karl “Max’ Christie and Klay Thompson combined to shoot 8-of-18 from beyond the arc in the first half. The rest of the team made just 2-of-9, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers from 3-point range with this team. We’ll certainly take it.

13: Third-quarter points from D’Angelo Russell​

Russell caught fire in the third quarter, and the Mavs needed every one of the 13 points he scored in the frame. He went 4-for-5 from the floor and hit two of his three attempts from distance coming out of halftime, while the lead changed hands six times in the third.

Russell connected with Gafford on an alley-oop with 2:10 left in the third to give the Mavs back an 86-85 lead, then Flagg found Russell open on the wing a minute later for his fourth 3-ball of the game to extend that lead to 90-85 with a little over a minute left in the frame.

He would hit two more early in the fourth quarter to help keep the Mavs’ heads above water against the Piston’s oncoming late charge.

18/1: Cade Cunningham’s assist-to-turnover ratio​

But here’s the game in a nutshell. While Detroit features a cerebral point guard capable of manufacturing an absurd 18-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and winning plays down the stretch, the Mavs’ best hope at the moment making ball-handling decisions is a guy who passes the ball to one of two Detroit Pistons who overload the dribble-hand-off instead of regrouping or finding a cutter. A guy who drags an ill-fated wraparound pass long and out of bounds to a cutting Daniel Gafford two minutes later. A guy who turns it over three times in the fourth quarter to sink the Mavs’ chances even as he sinks heat-check 3-pointer after heat-check 3-pointer.

I’m talking, of course, about the vastly different fourth-quarter profiles of Cunningham and Russell. Cunningham showed why he is a winning piece as the game wound down against the Mavericks, and Russell, even while canning his fifth, sixth and seventh 3-balls of the night in the fourth, showed why he’s never materialized into anything close to it.

The Mavs shot 4-of-16 in the fourth quarter to kill their chances at maintaining the lead they clung to with nine minutes left to play. Duren finished with a career-high 33 points on a ridiculous 13-of-16 shooting night to go along with 11 boards. Cunningham nailed a late 3-pointer to finish with 21 points to go with those 18 assists. He now holds an incredible 28-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio over his last two games.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...mavericks-122-110-loss-to-the-detroit-pistons

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

3 takeaways from Dallas’ 110-102 defeat to the Houston Rockets

P..J. Washington had a season-high 29 points and 12 rebounds Monday, but it wasn’t enough as the Houston Rockets continued their winning streak — now at four games — with a 110-102 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Houston improved to 4-2 on the season while Dallas dropped to 2-5.

The Mavericks played Monday’s game without their two starting big men for the second consecutive game as Dereck Lively II and Anthony Davis both remained out Monday with check-ins for their respective injuries scheduled for Tuesday when the Mavericks return to Dallas. The team struggled to contain the Rockets’ sizeable starting 5, as Alperen Sengun scored 26 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in the win while Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson combined for 48 points.

Cooper Flagg showed improvement in Monday’s contest, scoring 12 points on an efficient 50% from the field and 40% from three, but got less looks in the second half. Flagg shot just four times, including a heave at the end of a game already decided, after getting six shots in the first half. As Dallas mounted their comeback — at one point tying the game late in the fourth quarter — the team ran its offense through D’Angelo Russell, Washington, and Daniel Gafford, who had 14 points in 25 minutes in his second game back from an injury that kept him out of the team’s first five games.

Here are three takeaways from the game.

Shooters shoot as Mavericks adapt to new offense​

For the second straight game, Dallas rose its season average of three-pointers attempted. Entering Saturday’s game, the Mavericks were attempting just over 28 threes a game, but they’ve shot a combined 81 in the two road games against the Pistons and Rockets.

Their efficiency — 35.6% on 45 attempts Saturday and 25% on 36 attempts Monday — show the shift is a work in progress and may largely be due to the absence of Davis and Lively II, but if Dallas is to make a run at a playoff spot when they get fully healthy, they’re going to need to shoot the ball and these last couple games show a willingness to adapt to that reality.

P.J. Washington, man on a mission​

Washington has been one of the lone steady parts of the Mavericks season. His stat-stuffing performance Monday broke a two-game skid scoring under 10 points and looked much more like the Washington who opened the season averaging over 17 points a night on over 50% from the field and over 40% from three.

His defense mixed with his improved ability to drive to the basket and score, while also being able to look for his teammates — his 2.8 assists per game this season would be a career-high — have been invaluable to a Mavericks team struggling to find its identity on both ends of the floor.

D’Angelo Russell is finding his role in Dallas​

Just a few games ago, Russell was shut out of the Mavericks offense nearly completely. He played just 15 minutes in the season opener and nine minutes — including none in the second half — in Dallas’ 117-107 loss to the Washington Wizards.

A week later, he’s the team leader on the offensive end.

Since that Washington loss, Russell has averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 assists a night and has been a key player down the stretch in all five games for the Mavericks. Dallas is 2-3 since Russell’s increase in minutes and has been within striking distance in all three losses.

Russell has been a key player keeping the Mavericks afloat as they struggle through the early season injury bug and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him enter the starting lineup soon, especially with an easier stretch of the schedule (next 3: vs 0-6 NOP, @ 3-5 MEM, @ 1-6 WAS) approaching.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...-dallas-110-102-defeat-to-the-houston-rockets

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

SB Reacts: What’s the problem in Dallas?

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.

These two questions are somewhat related. Jason Kidd caused the first by odd speculation about Kyrie Irvings return. The second question is more big picture, but Kyrie playing would solve a lot of the offensive issues. We’ll post the results later in the week!

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/general/51888/sb-reacts-whats-the-problem-in-dallas

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

3 things to consider before the Dallas Mavericks take on the New Orleans Pelicans

The Dallas Mavericks (2-5) will host the New Orleans Pelicans (0-6) Wednesday night in Dallas at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks are trying to claw their way to a .500 record, while the Pelicans just want a win, any win, anyway they can get it.

Dallas is coming off a loss to the Houston Rockets Monday night. New Orleans will be on the second night of a back-to-back. The schedule favors the Mavericks, but so far this season, nothing has come easy for them. They’ll need to take advantage of the weaker schedule while they can, because in the Western Conference, there are few easy games.

As of this writing, the Mavericks haven’t released their injury report for the game. On Friday, they announced Anthony Davis would miss the next two games and be re-evaluated, so his status is up in the air for Wednesday’s tilt. Dereck Lively II has missed the last four games and Jason Kidd said he would be re-evaluated once the team returned to Dallas. Dante Exum is still injured but listed as a game time decision. The medical staff is having to do a lot of evaluating is the message here.

The Pelicans, meanwhile, were dealt a tough hand with star Zion Williamson being sidelined with a hamstring injury. He’ll be re-evaluated in 7-10 days.

The absence of so many talented players will make it an odd matchup, but the games move on. Here are three things to consider before the game:

Zion Williamson’s absence makes life easier on the Mavericks​

Williamson leads the NBA in free throw attempts this season with 11.4 per game. For a decimated Mavericks front court, that makes things much easier. Williamson is the motor of the Pelicans offense, and without him, things will get much tougher for New Orleans. The Pelicans don’t do much well, so taking away one of their offensive strengths pretty much neutralizes their scoring. Dallas just needs to make sure they don’t allow easy penetration to the less talented players they’ll see Wednesday night.

A 3-point barrage is unlikely​

We’re still in small sample size theater this early in the season, but the Mavericks are second in the league in 3-pointers allowed (something you can control) and not so coincidentally first in the league in 3-pointers allowed at 9.9 (you really can’t control if the 3-pointers go in, but limiting the attempts helps keep the made number down). The Pelicans, meanwhile, are 18th in the league in 3-pointers attempted, and 24th in 3-pointers made with 11.7 per game.

It’s unlikely we’ll get a weird game where the Pelicans just launch a billion 3-pointers and somehow make enough to win. The Mavericks aren’t allowing teams to get off shots from deep like that, and the Pelicans can’t make them even if they did. So don’t worry about a fluky win by New Orleans Wednesday night.

Limit Jordan Poole​

New Orleans’ only real chance of escaping with a win is by Poole having a big game. With Williamson out, the Pelicans will likely turn to Poole to create offense. If the Mavericks guards can contain him, or better yet, tempt him into trying to shoot the Pelicans to a win on his own, they will likely cruise to a win. At 18.3 points per game, Poole is the best scorer New Orleans has that’s healthy.

How to watch​

The game will tip at 7:30 p.m. CST on Mavs TV, KFAA 29, and NBA League Pass.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...as-mavericks-take-on-the-new-orleans-pelicans

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMBets: Mavericks host the one-win Pelicans

The Dallas Mavericks (2–5) return to the American Airlines Center on Wednesday night to host the New Orleans Pelicans (1–6), who just picked up their first win of the season in a tight finish against Charlotte. Tipoff is set for 7:30 PM CT. Let’s scan the lines in search of value.

Both teams are battling injuries, but the Pelicans in particular are dealing with a severely limited rotation. Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, and Yves Missi are all out. Dallas, meanwhile, will be without Dante Exum, Dereck Lively II, and Anthony Davis, and Kyrie Irving remains sidelined.

We often talk about a scheduled loss when a team is in a really bad situation. This might be the opposite — a scheduled win for Dallas. The Pelicans are on the second night of a back-to-back, traveling after an emotional first win of the season. The Mavericks are home, rested, and hungry to avoid slipping to 2–6.

This is the first of four matchups between these Southwest Division opponents.

---

Game Fixtures​

November 5, 2025 — New Orleans Pelicans (1–6) at Dallas Mavericks (2–5)
Tipoff: 7:30 PM CT — American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
How To Watch: KFAA-TV

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 12:30 AM CST​

Spread: Dallas -7.5 (-108) / New Orleans +7.5 (-112)
Total: 226.5 (O -112 / U -108)
Moneyline: DAL -298 / NO +240

---

Game Sides​

Dallas -7.5
Under 226.5

The Mavericks are in a strong bounce-back spot against a Pelicans team that is not only shorthanded, but arriving on the second night of a back-to-back. Expect Dallas to control the tempo, limit transition chances, and pull away in the second half. With both teams missing key offensive weapons, the total projects a bit high — the under makes sense.

---

Player Props​

D’Angelo Russell over 6 assists (+112)
Russell should have ample opportunity to initiate the offense, especially with the Pelicans potentially worn down from playing the night before. He’s logged 29 and 30 minutes in his last two games — a clear uptick from earlier in the season — and the Mavericks have looked more fluid when he’s on the floor. If Dallas plays downhill and gets out in transition, D Lo’s assist chances spike.

Trey Murphy III over 3 made threes (-116)
Murphy remains one of the most reliable volume three-point shooters in New Orleans’ rotation. He’s hit 5-of-10 from deep over his last two games, and with so many offensive pieces out for the Pelicans, he should have the green light again. Dallas ranks 5th in the league in 3P% allowed (33.2%), but Murphy’s role and volume give him a real shot to hit four or more in a game where New Orleans may be forced to chase from behind.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla.../51948/mmbets-mavericks-host-winless-pelicans

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

3 things after Dallas fizzles against New Orleans, 101-99

The Dallas Mavericks were beaten by the New Orleans Pelicans, 101-99 Wednesday night in Dallas.

Cooper Flagg led Dallas in scoring with 20 points, but his 8-for-19 shooting night, including a missed jumper at the free-throw line with a chance to tie the game at the buzzer, makes that something more akin to a pyrrhic scoring night.

For New Orleans, it was scoring by committee, with six players scoring in double digits, led by Saddiq Bey with 22.

Not only did the Pelicans get their first win of the season last night against the Charlotte Hornets, but now, after besting Dallas, they’re on their first win streak! A sad reality for a Dallas team that, if certain individuals in the front office were to be believed, is built to win a championship RIGHT NOW.

The game started on a bad foot, with Dallas going 0-for-7 to open the game and immediately falling into a 9-0 hole. They mustered only 19 points in a first quarter that didn’t have much in the way of positives.

Dallas would battle back in the second, led in large part by PJ Washington Jr’s 10 points in the quarter, and those 10 points were bigger than the sum of its parts. When Dallas couldn’t get anything going offensively, PJ putting his head down and earning three different and-1 opportunities gave the impression that he might just have what it took to put the Mavericks on his back and drag them kicking and screaming to competitiveness.

Things stayed close, all the way to clutch time in the fourth, but then, when typically the team that just played 24 hours ago would start to fade, the Pelicans put their foot on the gas, erased the small Mav lead Dallas carried into the quarter, and did just enough to pull out the victory.

The offense is BAD bad​

This isn’t breaking news, but the Mavericks’ struggle against the Pelicans, minus Zion, feels like something of a rock bottom. This is a New Orleans team that ranks above only the winless Nets in defensive rating, playing on the road on the second night of a back-to-back. And Dallas couldn’t muster more than 99 points.

Jason Kidd must know he’s got to try something, as demonstrated by moving Klay Thompson to the bench in favor of starting D’Angelo Russell. While having an actual guard on the floor was a welcome change, it didn’t do much to give Dallas any kind of offense connectivity. On top of that, the turnover issue remains, with the Mavs coughing up the ball 15 times tonight, including seven in the game-deciding fourth quarter, which ultimately spelled doom for Dallas and dropped them to 2-6 on the season.

It’s bad enough that it feels disingenuous to say that this is something that can be fixed by the return of Anthony Davis or Dereck Lively. Even adding Kyrie Irving isn’t going to be a fix-all for what ails Dallas. There’s something fundamentally broken about this team’s inability to put the ball in the bucket. And I truly hate that I’m being forced to agree with Kevin Durant, but to be a good team, you need to be able to put the ball in the bucket. No amount of “defense wins championships” mentality is going to fix only putting up 99 points a night.

PJ Washington the professional​

PJ Washington’s 15 points were important, especially his load-bearing effort in the second quarter, and his 11 rebounds came up big as well, easing the load on Daniel Gafford, Dallas’ lone healthy rotation big. (Gafford, who, by the way, contributed 15 points of his own.)

It wasn’t just the scoring, though. Washington also led Dallas in minutes, with 38. With Dallas missing three starters and minutes that need to be covered by competent, winning players for Dallas to have a chance night in and night out, PJ stepping up and playing in a way that gave the Mavericks a shot is all you can ask. Were this Mavs team the kind of team that had a true go-to number one option, Washington’s second quarter effort would’ve been just enough to buoy the team before handing the baton off to someone capable of being their engine.

Dallas is in a tough spot because not only do they not have a player like that on the roster, they also haven’t shown that they can play with enough of a cohesive offensive mentality to share the burden of putting points on the board.

Cooper Flaggs’ dunk contest application​

Cooper Flagg’s rookie season has been interesting if for no other reason than you never quite know what you’re going to see from him on a game-to-game basis. On the one hand, a little consistency would be nice, but let’s not get overly nitpicky about the first 10 games of his rookie season. He’s had good shooting games, bad shooting games, blocks, steals, but his assault on the rim tonight just had that dunk contest power and flair to it, especially on the receiving end of a Naji Marshall alley-oop late in the first quarter.

Watching Flagg exhibit a new aspect of his game and how he’s adapting to NBA life has been one of the few bright spots for Dallas so far this season. With how things have gone so far, by the time the All-Star Break hits, a dunk contest title might be the only title Dallas has any hope of bringing home this season.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...ter-dallas-fizzles-against-new-orleans-101-99

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

By The Numbers: 3 Key Stats from the Mavericks’ 101-99 Loss to the Pelicans

It might be time to take your hand off the “panic” button and click “rebuild” instead.

Coming into Wednesday, the 2-5 Mavericks desperately needed a game against the New Orleans Pelicans to get back on track. New Orleans was just 1-6 coming into the night with their sole victory being against the Charlotte Hornets the night before. Notable players on the injury report for the Pelicans were Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Yves Missi, and Jordan Poole. The Mavericks were without Anthony Davis for his third consecutive game and Dereck Lively II for his fifth consecutive game. Still, this seemed like a matchup Dallas should win handily, despite their early season struggles. On paper, the size and talent disparity heavily favored Dallas. With the next two games against the struggling Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards, the matchup with the Pelicans was an ideal starting point to get back to .500.

Instead, the hole was dug deeper. These three stats from Wednesday night’s disappointing loss to the Pelicans show it might be time to reset expectations.

107 points per 100 possessions​

A major paint point of Dallas’s early season struggles has been the offense. Despite being 30th in the NBA in offensive efficiency coming into Wednesday night at 110 points per 100 possessions, the Mavericks offense managed to dip them even further by the end of the night to 107 points per 100 possessions. Searching for answers, Jason Kidd finally made the move to start a true point guard in D’Angelo Russell, but this just wasn’t his night. Russell had 9 points and 3 assists on 3/10 shooting from the floor in 21 minutes. The sole bright spot for the Mavs was Cooper Flagg with 20 points on 8/19 from the floor. He also added 9 rebounds and 2 assists. This was a more aggressive version of Flagg and Dallas absolutely needs that. Other notable scorers included Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington with 15 points each, Max Christie with 12, and Klay Thompson with 11.

The Mavericks struggled to score from tipoff. It took the Mavericks 218 seconds (3 minutes and 38 seconds) to score their first bucket of the game on a Max Christie triple to make it 9-3 Pelicans. This stretch of minutes to start the game set the tone for the entire night. The Mavs played from behind most of the game and never got anything going offensively to put pressure on the Pelicans.

41.6% from the field​

The Mavericks can’t shoot. Period. Dallas shot 41.6% from the floor against a Pelicans team that is 29th in the league in defensive efficiency, giving up over 120 points per game. The Mavericks couldn’t even crack 100. This marks the seventh game in eight total that the Mavs failed to crack 50% shooting from the floor. The only exception was the 139-129 win over the Toronto Raptors.

Dallas shot 31.3% from three during the game on 10/32 from the floor which is right on par for their season average of 31.6% The evidence is mounting that the Mavericks just don’t have enough offensive firepower in a league where scoring and three-point shooting win games. Even the eventual addition of a healthy Kyrie Irving probably wouldn’t give this team enough as the lack of shooting comes at every position.

The Mavs also continue to struggle inside the paint. Dallas hit just two out of their first 12 shots inside the paint against a depleted Pelicans frontcourt without Yves Missi and Zion Williamson. New Orleans outscored Dallas in the paint 52-50, which has become a concerning trend. The Mavs have been outscored in the paint five out of eight games this season, with a total disparity of -94, 462 to 368. If you can’t make threes and can’t score inside, the result is being 30th in the NBA in offensive efficiency. Dallas was also outrebounded 56-44, marking the sixth time in eight games they’ve came up short on the boards this season.

7 turnovers​

Turnovers are a problem for the Mavs. But if you look at the box score and see Dallas had a respectable 15 turnovers vs New Orleans’ 16, you might say this area wasn’t a big factor in the loss. Of the 15 turnovers, 7 came in the fourth quarter. Of those 7 turnovers, 6 were live ball turnovers, leading to easy Pelicans points.

Despite winning the total turnover battle by 16-15, The Mavs couldn’t take advantage. The Pelicans scored 18 points off Maverick turnovers vs only 7 for the Mavs off the Pelicans’ 16. Most nights, the opponents won’t have as many turnovers as the Mavs, but when they do, Dallas isn’t taking advantage.

Live ball turnovers have haunted the Mavs frequently in this early season. The lack of having guard depth has already become quite clear. From losing a dribble, to missing a handoff, to not reading cuts, Dallas’s inability to take care of the basketball is a major reason why they sit at 2-6, tied for last in the Western Conference.

---

We’re quickly approaching a fork in the road. Even with a healthy Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, this team still lacks consistent scoring. If the Mavs don’t have enough to win now, do they start from scratch and build around Cooper Flagg? If this is the team on the floor until Irving returns, Dallas will be too deep in a hole to dig out of and make a playoff (or play-in) push. So, would this mean scrapping another year with aging stars and hoping for the best? Or reset the table and start over with Flagg? Even this early in the season, we’re coming to a critical point in the decision-making process for the Mavs front office. Make moves and try to stay competitive? Or build around your new star? The next handful of games will likely give us a clearer picture.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...rom-the-mavericks-101-99-loss-to-the-pelicans

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

3 things to think about before the Dallas Mavericks play the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA Cup

The Dallas Mavericks (2-6) head to Memphis Friday night for their first NBA Cup game against the Grizzlies (3-6). It is a tale of two dysfunctional teams: the Grizzlies, who attempt to make peace with star Ja Morant, and the Mavericks, who attempt to make, well, a shot.

One losing streak will have to end (three games for Dallas, four for Memphis), although a win will not solve the deep-rooted issues for either team. The Mavericks face an existential crisis in the aftermath of a sobering loss to the Pelicans. The Grizzlies are faced with deciding between their star player and their coaching staff, just months after Morant got the previous regime booted.

On the court, these are two of the worst teams in basketball. They are both bottom five in offensive rating, bottom six in net rating, and play at top five paces in the league. So not only are these teams playing horrible basketball, but they’re playing a lot of it. One saving grace on either side is their respective first-round pick in this year’s draft. Cooper Flagg on Dallas and Cedric Coward on Memphis have given otherwise bleak situations a little bit of hope. With uncertainty around the rest of either player’s roster moving forward, it will be fun to watch the rookies go head-to-head for what could be the first of many matchups to come. Here are three other things to note before the game tips off:

No Luka, no… problem?​

Dallas notoriously dominated the matchup with Memphis while Luka Doncic was a Maverick. They were 11-4 in games that Doncic played against the Grizzlies, and that includes a 7-1 record between 2021 and 2024. Unfortunately, without Doncic in the lineup, since 2018-19, the pendulum swings the other way, as Memphis has taken 10 of the 11 matchups. Recent history is not in Dallas’ favor. At the time of writing, there is no injury report submitted for either team, but the Mavericks will likely be trotting out the same guys that played on Wednesday. Memphis is far healthier than Dallas is, which would make predicting a Mavericks win pretty bold. Luckily for them, fortune favors the bold.

A true road test​

It is hard to believe that Dallas has not played as the visiting team outside of Texas yet. They opened the year with five games in Dallas, then traveled to Mexico City where they were the honorary home team at a neutral site. The other two games (in Houston and Dallas) were both in Texas, meaning the Mavericks have not had to travel more than 250 miles to an opposing arena. They say that defense travels, but with slightly elevated stakes, it will be interesting to see the juice the team has after being able to sleep in their own bed most of the last two-plus weeks. For Flagg, this will easily be the most difficult environment he has had to play in during his young career. I am excited to see how he steps up to the plate.

The NBA Cup brings colorful courts aplenty​

Yes, the in-season tournament no one asked for is back and better than ever, with offensive courts as far as the eye can see. Some are disgusting to look at, some blur the three-point lines, and some test the boundaries of how many shades of grey you can put on one piece of wood. However, the Mavericks got lucky with their first game in group play, as Memphis’ court is not half bad:

The @memgrizz new court for the Emirates NBA Cup pic.twitter.com/l5Z9pLij3O

— NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2025

How to watch​

The game will tip at 7:00 p.m. CST on Mavs TV, KFAA 29, and NBA League Pass.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...es-nba-preview-2025-26-cooper-flagg-ja-morant

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMBets: The stoppable Mavericks meet the movable Grizzlies

Dallas is heading to Memphis for a divisional matchup with the Grizzlies to open their NBA Cup group play. Even less than 10 games into the new year, this feels like a “loser leaves town” matchup. The Mavericks and Grizzlies are both reeling from the recent drama surrounding each team, compounded by a lot of losing. Truly, this game could be a turning point in either season, for better or for worse. One bright spot to pay attention to (and bet on) will be the rookie matchup between lottery picks Cooper Flagg and Cedric Coward. They should have a fun matchup, while everyone else tries to resemble the sport of basketball in some way.

Game intangibles​

Dallas Mavericks (2-6) at Memphis Grizzlies (3-6)

Tipoff: 7:00p CT at the FedExForum in Memphis, TN

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 +4.5 (-110)

Over/Under: 232.5 (-110/-110)

Moneyline: Dallas +154

Player props​

Cedric Coward to score 15+ points (+150)​

Cooper Flagg to score 20+ points (+134)​

Both rookies have excellent matchups in this game. Coward is shooting over 50 percent from the floor this year and has played nearly 30 minutes a game in their last three. He can shoot (he made six threes earlier this year), and has the size to take advantage of Dallas’ soft defense. Flagg is a great bounce-back candidate after his horrid shooting night on Wednesday, including missing the game-tying shot. He has followed up every game he has shot under 50 percent (except the first one) with one where he shoots 50 percent or better. He is due for a career night, and tonight is the perfect opportunity.

Game sides​

Under 232.5 (-110)​

Mavericks under 114.5 points (-114)​

Despite the likelihood of big games from both teams’ first-year guys, this will still be an ugly, low-scoring affair. The Mavericks have scored 115 points a single time. In fact, they have only scored 110 twice. If they burn me tonight, so be it. But I am fading this team until they prove that their offense can do anything. And the offensive struggles go beyond Dallas. 233 is too many points for a game where the teams combine to score 221 a game. Take the under and tell your mother she’s getting a new car.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...ng-preview-and-predictions-fanduel-sportsbook

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Player Grades: Recapping the 118-104 road spanking in Memphis

This is my fourth year on staff here at MMB and my first attempt at writing the Player Grades post. You may be wondering why I picked this game – and that would make two of us. What a tough watch. We had fun basketball around these parts, not all that long ago, right?

One quick thought before we dive in. The Mavericks – now 2-7 on the season – are on their way to Washington (1-8) to play the second night of a back-to-back. If the Wizards win, and they very well might they will be 2-0 against the Mavericks and otherwise winless. All I can say is stay tuned for my betting post in a few hours for more thoughts on that riveting matchup.

Strap in, these grades are not pretty.

Starters​

Daniel Gafford | Grade Incomplete​

12 min | 0 pts | 1 r​

Unless word comes out that Gafford was dealing with an injury (ankle flaring back up?) that caused an early exit, one has to wonder if this was simply a usage management decision ahead of playing again tomorrow night. Not much to report here unless something happened to impact his availability going forward.

PJ Washington Grade C-​

25 min | 14 pts | 6 r | 1 a | 1 stl | 1 bl​

This was a meh game from Washington. It is clear that he has primary option responsibility, giving the options available as the green light is quite pronounced. The Mavs needed a scorching night from him, and 6-15 is middling. He is having a solid season amid the chaos, but Dallas needed a supernova game and did not get it.

Cooper Flagg | Grade C+​

27 min| 12 pts | 6 r | 2 a | 1 stl | 1 blk​

Keeping in mind that Flagg is about to play his tenth game tomorrow night, I am inclined to go easier on him than the same effort and production from a veteran would garner. Even still, every starter -including Flagg was at least -20 on/off – tough stuff. What’s worse is that his teammates rarely seem to actively look to get him engaged offensively, and most of his looks are more of the Thanos (fine, I’ll do it myself) variety.

D’Angelo Russell | Grade D​

16 min | 9 pts | 3 r | 5 a​

Nice efficiency with the shot (4-5 from the field) in limited play is overshadowed by being on the floor for yet another slow start and then again in the second quarter when the game got away from Dallas on the defensive end early on.

Max Christie | Grade A-​

28 min | 18 pts | 1 r | 1 a​

Christie looked like he cared and played like it. He may be the Mavericks’ best player right now in terms of consistent effort and results relative to role, which itself is an indictment.

Reserves​

Naji Marshall | Grade D​

28 min | 18 pts | 1 r | 1 a​

If you look at this box score, you’ll see the Mavs only got to the line 16 times as a unit, Marshall was 3 of 4 from the stripe. He is one of the few Mavericks that can provoke a defense to foul with some semblance of lane driving. The 1-7 from 3 is brutal and it is pretty clear that – rare nights withstanding – Marshall’s 38.7 percent during his free agency year with the Pelicans was an outlier. Last season’s 27.5 percent and so far this year 2-13 (15.4%) is an analytical war crime. Opposing defenses leave him wide open beyond the arc for a reason.

Brandon Williams | Grade D-​

22 min | 11 pts | 1 r | 3 a​

Williams has moments of “beeline to the basket” which are fun, but those aside, I am increasingly convinced this is a player who is not a long-term piece once the rebuild begins in earnest.

Klay Thompson | Grade F​

17 min | 0 pts | 1 r | 3a​

This is not what he signed up for, and it hurts to watch. Love the guy yet it is time to find him – and a few others – a new home. Feels strange to give a Hall of Famer in a terrible situation an F, but knowing Thompson, he would likely nod in agreement.

Others​

Moussa Cisse (nice transition dunk off a defensive stop) and Ryan Nembhard come out of this one with some nice box scores, but otherwise this was a case of the end of the bench closing a gap with pure effort once the game was already decided.

Onto tomorrow night. Mavs vs Wizards, folks.

You can listen to our latest podcast episode in the player embedded below, and to make sure you don’t miss a single one moving forward, subscribe to the Pod Maverick podcast feed on Apple, Spotify, Pandora, Pocketcasts, YouTube, Amazon Music, Castbox.

You can check out our After Dark Recap podcasts, YouTube Live recordings, and guest shows on the Pod Maverick Podcast feed. Please subscribe, rate, and review.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...ecapping-the-118-104-road-spanking-in-memphis

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs Wizards Preview and Injury Update: Jason Kidd and the Chamber of Defense

The Dallas Mavericks (2-7) are still on the road, playing the Washington Wizards (1-8). Both teams are on the second night of a back-to-back, with DC losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers last night and the Mavericks getting blown out by the Memphis Grizzlies. You’ll remember the Mavericks already losing to the Wizards once back in October.

Here’s the main things you need to know before the game kicks off.

• WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Washington Wizards
• WHAT: Win, for the love of basketball
• WHERE: Capital One Arena, Washington DC
• WHEN: 6:00 p.m. CST
• HOW: KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV streaming, NBA League Pass, and also Playback with Kirk

As of this writing (about noon) Dallas has yet to submit an injury report. Kyrie Irving and Dante Exum are out, I think that’s safe to say. I’d also suspect Dereck Lively is out. Last night, Anthony Davis had progressed to doubtful so I BET we see a questionable designation then he doesn’t play. Daniel Gafford didn’t play late last night, so I wonder if he’;s on the report. For the Wizards, Bilal Coulibaly is out and Khris Middleton is out as well. Kyshawn George is questionable with an illness.

There’s plenty of stuff to read on the homepage from last night’s game and this one. We’ve had a great deal of content lately so go check it out to see if you missed anything.

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!

new Playback.Embed("playback-embed", { room: "mavsmoneyball", style: { height: "100%", width: "100%" }, });

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...art-time-tv-stream-injury-report-how-to-watch

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

SB Reacts: The Mavericks are in a bad place

Holy cow the Dallas Mavericks are 2-7! Their worst start to a season since the 2018-19 season! Earlier this week we ran a two question poll which asked two direct questions. The first was centered around All-Star guard Kyrie Irving and whether Dallas fans thought he’d be back soon.

This one was overwhelming in that the answer is no, Kyrie won’t be back soon. I’m a little surprised it was that lopsided even if I agree.

The second question asked which side of the ball is a bigger problem for Dallas, the offense or defense.

Considering their offense through nine games is historically bad, this one also isn’t too much of a surprise, though that defense is asscheeks as well. Whew.

The next two slides are from the national poll, which you can sign up for when you take the Mavs polls I put out. This question is about predicting the East.

Cavs and Knicks are basically tied. That makes sense. The Bulls even being in the conversation is wild, since it’s the Bulls! Josh Giddey hive must be thrilled.

Then the same one was posed about the West.

Thunder as the run away winner, not that surprising. Rockets would be my stealth pick!

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/general/52099/sb-reacts-the-mavericks-are-in-a-bad-place

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Stats Rundown: 5 numbers to know from the Mavericks’ 111-105 win at the Washington Wizards

The Dallas Mavericks (3-7) pulled their heads above water and ended their four-game losing streak on Saturday with a 111-105 win at the Washington Wizards (1-9) at Capital One Arena. Dallas got out to yet another slow start, but quickly corrected course in the first quarter. They may have wobbled throughout the second and third quarters, but Naji Marshall and Moussa Cisse came off the bench to course correct when the Mavs needed it.

The bench played a huge role for the Mavericks, before Cooper Flagg and P.J. Washington started to make winning plays down the stretch to help fend off Washington and avoid the rare season sweep at the hands of one of the worst teams in the NBA.

The Dallas reserves outscored their Washington counterparts 59-44, including a 30-piece from Marshall to lead all scorers in the win. The Mavs secured 10 offensive boards in the fourth quarter to help pull out the win, and those two were freebies, so here are five more stats that loomed large over the Mavs’ latest win.

4-of-5: CJ McCollum’s shooting start​

After the Mavs let a floundering Ja Morant get off to a hot start on Friday’s first night of a back-to-back set at the Grizzlies on his way to a game-high 21 points in Memphis’ 118-104 win, CJ McCollum was Morant’s mirror image to start the game against Dallas on Saturday. McCollum scored 11 points in the game’s first five minutes on 4-of-5 shooting as the Wizards shot out to an early 16-9 lead and forced Mavs head coach Jason Kidd to take an early timeout.

A couple of troubling trends are becoming calling cards for the 2025-26 Mavericks: the lack of will in correcting mistakes from last time out and coming out a step slow to start games. Another boneheaded miscue from the night prior reared its head as well in the first quarter against Washington: Max Christie fouled McCollum on a 3-point attempt the possession before McCollum forced that Dallas timeout after the Mavs fouled three 3-point shooters in the first half of Friday’s loss to Memphis.

McCollum would finish the first quarter with 14 points and four rebounds.

19-0: Mavericks’ first-quarter run in response​

But, hark! On Saturday, the Mavs finally showed some signs of life early after that initial timeout with 7:06 left in the first quarter. The Mavericks’ second team fueled a 19-0 run over the next five-plus minutes.

Marshall came in and scored six points during the run, while Moussa Cissé, the two-way rookie from Guinea, gobbled up four rebounds on both ends of the floor and clogged up the lane by challenging and blocking shots.

Marshall picked off a bad pass from McCollum after Jaden Hardy connected on his first 3-point try the previous time down the floor on offense, then found a streaking Flagg for a high-flying transition dunk with 2:11 left in the first to put Dallas up 28-16 after the sluggish start. The Mavericks’ bench accounted for 15 of the 19 points during the run.

The Mavs outscored the Wizards 26-8 to end the first quarter to take a 35-24 lead after one. Marshall led the charge for the Mavs with nine points, two boards and two steals in the frame, an encouraging sign, as he seemed to be searching for his fit with this iteration of the Mavericks through the first nine games of this season, after having a career year in 2024-25.

12-2: Wizards’ second-quarter run​

McCollum put it on the Mavs again in the second quarter, though, scoring nine more during a 12-2 Washington run that got the Wizards as close as four, down 42-38 with 8:13 left in the first half, after he canned a mid-range jumper and two free throws on consecutive possessions.

McCollum was the only effective weapon for the Wizards, but he was enough to keep Washington connected to Dallas throughout the first half. McCollum led all scorers with 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting at the half. McCollum suffered through a three-game cold stretch, wherein he scored just a combined 21 points (on 8-of-31 shooting), before breaking out for 25 points in 28 minutes in Friday’s 148-115 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Four minutes later, Corey Kispert’s first 3-pointer of the game brought the Wizards back within three, down 48-45, to erase most of Dallas’ largest lead of 14 points.

man. This is bad basketball pic.twitter.com/puHAlXgG83

— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) November 9, 2025

The Mavs made just four field goals in the first 9:50 of the second quarter to roll out the red carpet for the Wizards to get back into the game. Dallas is showing us in their last three games that they are the equal of the NBA’s cellar-dwellers — they’re not clearly better than anyone in the NBA.

The Mavericks took a 57-53 lead into the locker room at halftime after scoring just 22 points and turning the ball over six times in the second quarter, sending head coach Jason Kidd back, once again, to the drawing board.

21: Third-quarter scoring from Alex Sarr and Cam Whitmore​

The Wizards plowed back in front in the third quarter on the strength of (checks notes) Alex Sarr and Cam Whitmore. The Mavs finally did something about their CJ McCollum problem, holding the former star guard scoreless in the third, but all that did was open things up for Sarr, who scored eight, and Whitemore, who poured in 11 more as Washington moved back in front, 86-82, heading into the fourth quarter.

Kyshawn George found Whitmore open inside on a broken play for a slam to bring the Wizards to within 71-70 with 5:29 left in the third, before Sarr tipped home his own miss on a turn-around hook shot attempt the next time down to give Washington a 72-71 lead, their first since midway through the first quarter.

The Wizards took an 86-82 lead into the fourth quarter before McCollum awoke from his slumber for his first bucket of the second half with 11:05 left to play to put Washington up 90-82. That would ultimately be the only two points McCollum would score in the second half — he finished the night with a team-high 25 points and six rebounds in the loss.

30/8: Naji Marshall’s big night put Dallas over the top​

Marshall scored seven big points down the stretch and hit 3-of-4 from 3-point range to steady the Mavs when they went through the tough stretches against the lowly Wizards. He was the constant on a night the Mavericks desperately needed someone to step up. Flagg found him streaking down the floor in transition with a nice touch pass that Marshall gathered in despite it being tipped on its way to him for a bucket to put Dallas up 104-101 with just over four minutes remaining. His third 3-pointer of the game came six minutes earlier when the Mavs had a chance to unravel, down 90-82 with 10 minutes left in the game.

The Mavs helped their own cause in the fourth quarter, gaining extra possessions with 10 offensive rebounds in the frame. Marshall led all scorers with 30 points and pulled down eight rebounds (three on the offensive glass) in the win. He led the Mavs’ bench to a 59-44 advantage over the Wizards’ reserve unit to help get the Mavs off the schnide.

“Shoutout to the bench mob, for sure,” Marshall said in his televised postgame interview. “It was a blessing.”

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...-stats-naji-marshall-cooper-flagg-cj-mccollum

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks pick up desperate 111-105 win against Wizards

The Dallas Mavericks picked up a much needed 111-105 victory against the Washington Wizards Saturday night in a sad-off for the ages. Naji Marshall was the man of the moment with a game-leading 30 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals off the bench while CJ McCollum led the Wizards with 25 points.

Both high scorers got off to a fairly fast start with McCollum scoring 14 points in the first quarter and Marshall nine of the Mavericks’ points amid a 29-8 run from the 6:30 mark of the first quarter to early in the second. Despite this, the Wizards cut the Mavericks’ game high 14 point lead to 57-53 by halftime with a flurry of threes on their end and a bevy of bricks by Dallas.

The game became a bit of a back and forth in the second half, but the Mavericks’ offense stabilized after a healthy dose of Cooper Flagg playmaking, Moussa Cisse energy, and live ball turnovers from Washington (18 total) that led to transition buckets (33 fast break points allowed to the Mavs). Flagg finished the game with six assists, most of which coming in the second half, and a few finishes in the lane like this one that should give fans hope for his finishing prospects.

Coop takes the handoff and attacks the rim! pic.twitter.com/c5AnhlvCfc

— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) November 9, 2025

Cisse tallied nine total rebounds, four offensive boards and three blocks in his high octane effort for the Mavs.

By the end, Cam Whitmore had poured in 19 points on the night, PJ Washington and Brandon Williams each supplied 14 points for the Mavericks and a young Wizards squad found themselves allowing a 16-4 run early in the fourth quarter that proved too much for them to overcome.

Dallas returns to action on Monday night, looking to snag their first winning streak of the season by taking on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...pick-up-desperate-111-105-win-against-wizards

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

3 things to ponder as the schedule turns dangerous for the struggling Dallas Mavericks

Let’s play a game of fill in the blank. “Don’t overreact. The season is still young. The Dallas Mavericks have only played (insert your number here) games so far—so there is still time to turn things around.” What is your number? Is it 5, 15, 30?

I have always believed that by the time an NBA ledger reaches double digits, you can begin to draw some conclusions. Trends emerge, rotations become clear, and the distance between the perception of a team and the reality we see on the floor begins to come into focus. For this year’s edition of the Dallas Mavericks, troubling trends emerged on opening night versus the San Antonio Spurs, and concerns deepened in the second game – a home loss to the rebuilding Washington Wizards. After returning the favor and defeating the Wizards to claw to a record of 3-7, the Mavericks face the Milwaukee Bucks in the first of six games that represent a much higher level of competition than Dallas has faced in the opening stanza of the schedule.

When you are a squad in disarray, the rest of the league gives no quarter – especially early in the season. If Dallas is going to turn this ship around, a win against a quality Bucks team would be a major statement.

Settling for the Middle is Actually the Worst​

There are no soft landings in this stretch. After feasting on lottery-bound rosters and still walking away with just three wins, the Mavericks now enter a six-game gauntlet that includes the Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and New York Knicks. Most of these teams are winning, well-coached, and physically dominant in ways Dallas has not yet proven capable of countering. A 3-7 start has already placed Dallas in a statistical ditch: since 2000, only a handful of teams with that record have gone on to reach the playoffs in the Western Conference.

The biggest concern isn’t just the losses — it’s how Dallas is playing. Through ten games, the Mavericks are dead last in offensive rating and have posted one of the most inefficient shot profiles in the league. They take the fewest shots at the rim (just 18% of their attempts, 30th in the NBA), finish poorly when they do get there (~60–62% FG), and rarely put pressure on the rim through drives or fouls. Instead, they are settling: 45% of their shots come from mid-range, one of the highest marks in the league, and they’re shooting just 30.3% from deep — second worst in the NBA. Put simply, defenses are rarely stretched, rotations are rarely compromised, and Dallas is rarely getting clean looks. This isn’t a shooting slump. It’s a system stuck in neutral, and opposing defenses no longer fear being “put in the blender”.

Anyone Could Have Had Him​

When Damian Lillard tore his Achilles in the 2025 playoffs and was later stretch-waived that July, the Bucks’ backcourt was left in limbo. They signed Kevin Porter Jr. as a reclamation swing — a short-term flyer on a once-talented scorer — but that experiment unraveled quickly when Porter suffered an ankle injury on opening night. What looked like a desperate patch job instead opened the door for Ryan Rollins, a 2022 second-round pick who’d been grinding on two-way deals and G-League buses for most of his young career. By the second week of the season, Rollins had seized the starting point guard role outright — not by default, but by production.

At just 23 years old, Rollins has rapidly ascended from an afterthought to the Bucks’ backcourt stabilizer. Through the first dozen games of 2025-26, he’s averaging roughly 17 points and 5–6 assists per game while shooting efficiently — over 50% from the field and around 40% from three. The 6-foot-4 guard is logging 30+ minutes a night as Milwaukee’s primary ball-handler, helping guide the Bucks to a strong start despite major roster turnover. In short, Rollins has provided exactly the steady, two-way presence the Bucks lacked a year ago when their offense was overly dependent on Lillard’s shot-making.

Defensively, Rollins has become the antidote to Milwaukee’s previous backcourt issues. The Bucks’ perimeter defense cratered when they swapped Jrue Holiday for Lillard, but Rollins’ length and instincts have helped restore that edge. Opponents are shooting just 40% when he’s the primary defender, and he already ranks among the league leaders in steals. He’s not just surviving — he’s changing games. Cole Anthony called him “a hooper”—after Rollins dropped 32 points and 8 assists on Golden State, his former team, in late October.

That performance cemented his arrival. In the weeks since, Rollins has become a fixture in Milwaukee’s closing lineups — calm under pressure, smart with the ball, and confident enough to keep defenses honest. For a player drafted 44th overall out of Toledo, waived by Washington, and nearly out of the league a year ago, his rise borders on cinematic.

What makes it sting for opposing teams — especially one like Dallas — is how available he was. Milwaukee found him hiding in plain sight, signed him to a modest three-year, $12 million deal, and watched him turn into a starter who plays like he’s been here all along. The Bucks didn’t just find a stopgap; they found a future.

The Rumbling Beneath the Floorboards​

The Mavericks need to win. They know it, the fan base feels it, and the noise around the organization is starting to rattle the walls. Saturday’s win in Washington offered brief relief — their third of the season — but scraping by a lottery roster isn’t the kind of victory that steadies a sinking ship. This Bucks game, Dallas’ first at home since the boos rained down after the Pelicans loss, carries weight that goes beyond one result.

Bobby Karalla of DLLS captured the moment perfectly during a recent segment: “I can hear drums in the deep.” He added that while many fans have wanted general manager Nico Harrison gone since the February trade deadline, recent texts from league contacts made it “feel like something is in the air.” Karalla said plainly that if the slide continues, owner Patrick Dumont “will be left with no choice but to do what should have been done a long time ago.” The quote wasn’t delivered in anger — it was resignation. The kind that comes from someone who’s been inside those walls and can sense the tremors before they surface.

Source pic.twitter.com/cJVGllen5a

— sirlofin (@sirlofin) November 8, 2025

That’s why this game matters more than a random Monday in November should. The Mavericks are walking into a home arena filled with doubt, facing a Bucks team that knows exactly who it is. If Milwaukee jumps out early and Dallas sputters again, it could be the night the Fire Nico chants start echoing again through the lower bowl louder than at any point this year.

How To Watch​

The Mavericks host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, November 10th, with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m. CT at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Fans can catch the broadcast locally on KFAA-TV or stream the game live on Mavs.com.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...dangerous-for-the-struggling-dallas-mavericks

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs Bucks Preview and Injury Update: Standing tall at home

The Dallas Mavericks (3-7) host the Milwaukee Bucks (6-4) on Monday night in Dallas. The Bucks are coming off the front end of a back-to-back against the Rockets which they lost. Dallas came home after defeating the Washington Wizards on Saturday night. There’s plenty of drama going on in Dallas tonight with Nico Harrison apparently on the outs with the owner Patrick Dumont.

Here’s the main things you need to know before the game kicks off.

• WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Milwaukee Bucks
• WHAT: A win to quiet the noise
• WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
• WHEN: 7:30 p.m. CST
• HOW: KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV streaming, NBA League Pass, and also Playback with Kirk

As of this writing the injury report is interesting. Kyrie Irving and Dante Exum are out. Dereck Lively is doubtful with his boo boo. Anthony Davis is once again listed as questionable, as is Daniel Gafford. Whether Davis plays more or less decides this game. That’s because… Giannis Antetokounmpo is listed as probable. If he actually suits up, Dallas is in trouble

Giannis leads the league in points per game. The Mavericks surrender the fourth most points per game in the paint. That’s a bad combo for a Dallas defense that stinks. There’s a longer preview up on the page and SB Nation has a piece on the front page that says Dallas needs to move AD ASAP if Nico is actually fired.

Well have more on the drama around Dallas after the game.

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!

new Playback.Embed("playback-embed", { room: "mavsmoneyball", style: { height: "100%", width: "100%" }, });

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...art-time-tv-stream-injury-report-how-to-watch

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Nico Harrison is finally on the hot seat

To say the last six or so months of Mavericks basketball has been weird would be the understatement of the century. Since the Luka Doncic trade in February, most Mavericks fans have been wondering when general manager Nico Harrison would be fired, as the Mavericks have toiled the Western Conference with a losing record since the trade, missing the playoffs entirely last season and have started 3-8 this season after a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks Monday night.

Those fans might be getting their wish soon.

For the first time since the trade, Harrison is genuinely on the hot seat — first reported by NBA insider Marc Stein on Sunday, then followed up with earlier today by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. Stein reported “that the rising and virtually ceaseless negativity that surrounds the franchise is indeed wearing on and troubling ownership.” MacMahon said on The Hoop Collective podcast Monday morning that “it’s a matter of when, not if” regarding Harrison’s termination. Dumont even finally pushed his weight around in regards to basketball decisions, stepping in to voice his opinion on Anthony Davis’ return to play. Davis is currently nursing a calf strain, and MacMahon reported on Tuesday before the Bucks game that Davis and Harrison wanted Davis to return against Washington, but Dumont and the team’s medical staff were against it. MacMahon described it as both sides coming to an understand and exercising caution, but let’s be clear: Dumont is the one with the final say. This is the first time it’s been reported that Dumont has weighed in on a basketball matter, outside of ultimately approving the Doncic trade.

This is a stark contrast to the relative quiet summer, where the most reporting on the subject of Harrison’s job security were some reports that Dumont no longer fully trusts Harrison and had potentially placed instituted some checks-and-balances from Harrison’s decision-making. Dumont himself did not speak to reporters during the offseason, and keeps his distance publicly from the organization, a stark contrast to former owner Mark Cuban’s style.

Because Harrison made it through the summer, I personally figured his job was fine. With the drafting of Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving’s ACL injury, it felt like the entire organization was granted a mulligan season. Dallas certainly didn’t make any moves this summer that would resemble a win-now team, opting for a smaller deal to point guard D’Angelo Russell to hold the fort during Irving’s rehab. Russell was the most consequential net-new addition to the Mavericks roster, as the team re-signed veterans like Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington. If Harrison was hell-bent on capitalizing on his self-proclaimed three to four year window after the Doncic trade, the moves from this summer did not represent any desperation.

Dallas has face-planted this season, tied with New Orleans for the most losses in the Western Conference. They’re the only team to have lost to the Washington Wizards, as Davis, Gafford, and Dereck Lively have all missed time with injury, much like how last season fell apart. Even before the injuries, things weren’t looking good — Dallas was trailing by seven to a seriously depleted Indiana team when Davis left the game with his calf injury, and Lively’s season was a bit up and down before he mysteriously injured his knee. There have been some bright spots, like Cooper Flagg’s ongoing development, Max Christie taking a leap, and youngsters like Brandon Williams and Moussa Cisse outplaying their veteran counterparts. It isn’t enough though: the Mavericks entered Tuesday night’s game against Milwaukee 29th in offense and with a defense that is prone to getting math’d — the overall numbers look OK, but the Mavericks have been burned a few times by teams with spacing and hot shooting to match, like the loss last week to the Grizzlies or Tuesday’s loss to the Bucks, where Milwaukee made 14 three-pointers to Dallas’ nine.

It’s hard to remain optimistic — even if Davis and Lively return soon, the Mavericks are 3-8 through what is undoubtedly the easiest part of their schedule. It only ramps up from here and through the rest of 2025. Not to mention when Davis and Lively return, Dallas has to shift back to their double-big lineup, which was causing issues as is before the injuries struck. Flagg has finally looked more confident and consistent with a true point guard on the floor at all time, and it’ll be hard for Kidd to play Flagg, two bigs, and a point guard if that’s where Davis wishes to play going forward.

Harrison dug this grave entirely himself, and the fan backlash will be hard to quell as the Mavericks schedule gets harder and more losses pile up. What’s worse is that this is officially a Story™ now, with players being asked about it after games.

Brandon Williams on the “fire Nico” chants in the fourth quarter:

“It’s u fortunate for sure. But we’ve got to play through it…But yeah it’s really unfortunate.” pic.twitter.com/Q8GEpAQ7yk

— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) November 11, 2025

If nothing else, Dumont cannot get cold feet no matter which direction he chooses — either rip the band-aid off and fire Harrison now and move forward, or commit to Harrison and clear and potential distractions for the rest of the season. If Dumont wants to give Harrison the rest of this season to wiggle his way out this jam, fine, but that means publicly backing Harrison to try and deaden the hostility. If Dumont doesn’t want to give Harrison more time, then just cut the rope now and start rebuilding the franchise in a new vision. There’s really no sense in waiting a few more games to see how bad it could get — it’s already pretty bad! Indecision will only make this situation fester even more.

For Mavericks fans that want Harrison gone, perhaps they will get an early Christmas present. I’ve been skeptical Dumont would be willing to not only eat Harrison’s contract but also do the work to hire a replacement, but it’s clear the pressure is mounting higher by the day. The time to refocus the franchise was the day Flagg’s name was announced during the NBA Draft this past summer, everything since then has almost felt like a waste of time. The ball is literally in Dumont’s court now. We’ll see what happens.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/mavericks-news/52271/nico-harrison-is-finally-on-the-hot-seat

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

How Dallas Mavericks fans helped get Nico Harrison Fired

The Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday morning, following what will likely be remembered by most as the worst nine months any fanbase has ever faced in sports history. This came after Harrison made the daring move to trade fan favorite Luka Doncic to Western Conference rival Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis and one first-round pick. The move, made on a Saturday night in February, sparked the most public outcry and backlash that a trade has ever received. From social media campaigns and trending #FireNico hashtags to in-arena protests, billboards, and chants at games, fans made their displeasure impossible to ignore. After a 3-8 start through 11 games in the “defense wins championships” era, Dumont decided to let Harrison go, but only because of the outcry of the fans.

The shock trade of Luka Dončić on February 2, 2025 (just ahead of the NBA deadline) ignited a firestorm of fan anger. Within days, hundreds of Mavericks fans gathered for a protest rally outside the team’s first home game after the trade (on February 8 against Houston) to demand Harrison’s firing. They carried homemade signs emblazoned with slogans like “LOYALTY DIED #FIRENICO” and “TRADE NICO”, and chanted “Fire Nico!” in unison. A video of the demonstration shared by local media showed a crowd of upset fans filling the plaza outside the American Airlines Center, underscoring the raw emotions of the situation. As one Sports Illustrated report described,” ‘Fire Nico!’ chants blistered through the plaza outside of American Airlines Center” from grieving fans still reeling days after losing their superstar.

“Fire Nico” Chants​

The fan backlash was immediate and intense, both in person and online. Fans didn’t just protest at the arena; they also created memorials for Dončić and mobilized broader campaigns. According to one account, supporters “paid tribute to Dončić by placing signs, flowers and memorabilia outside the arena”, which arena staff later removed. In a more enduring show of defiance, a group of devoted fans launched a fundraising campaign for protest billboards around Dallas targeting Harrison and the team’s new ownership. Within three days, they had raised over $30,000 toward billboard displays denouncing “GM Nico Harrison and the Adelson family” (the new majority owners). “Trading away Luka Magic has left a deep void in the hearts of Dallas fans,” wrote organizer Jacob Posner in the campaign description, vowing that by banding together, “we’re sending a strong, undeniable message to the Mavs front office: We refuse to be overlooked, and we deserve better decisions”. The GoFundMe, titled “Dallas Deserves Better,” eventually raised over $50,000 for multiple anti-Harrison, anti-ownership billboards near the arena, a clear indication of how organized and serious the fanbase had become in pressing for change.

As the season resumed, discontent followed Harrison everywhere the Mavericks played. At the very next home game (February 10, 2025, vs. Sacramento), multiple fans arrived with large “FIRE NICO” signs, making their feelings plain on the arena’s jumbotron. When one such fan was caught on camera mouthing “Fire Nico” during a timeout, arena security swiftly intervened and ejected him and a friend, an action that drew loud boos from the crowd. “With emotions from the Dončić trade still raw, multiple fans were ejected … due to violations of the NBA’s code of conduct,” ESPN reported, noting the fans’ signs violated rules against derogatory messages. The ejections only inflamed tensions: roughly 1,000 fans had even protested outside the arena before a game that week, chanting “Fire Nico” and even “sell the team,” while wearing T-shirts echoing those slogans. The discontent was so widespread that Mavericks owner/governor Patrick Dumont was loudly booed by the home crowd when he took his courtside seat, showing that fan frustration extended to the top.

Chants of “Fire Nico!” quickly became a routine soundtrack at Mavericks games. Fans chanted it during the first home game after the trade, again when Luka Dončić made his highly anticipated return to Dallas in a Lakers uniform, and virtually every time the team struggled on the court. One local reporter noted that “those two words have followed Harrison around since the Dončić deal”, becoming a ubiquitous refrain at Mavericks home games for the rest of the 2024–25 season. The environment grew so hostile that the Mavericks’ arena video crew reportedly stopped showing adult fans on the big screen at all in the immediate aftermath of the trade, focusing only on kids to avoid broadcasting live protests. Despite such measures, the chants only grew louder. By season’s end, Harrison himself acknowledged the constant jeers: “When you have 20,000 people in the stadium chanting ‘Fire Nico,’ you really feel it,” he said at his April end-of-season press conference. Harrison oddly described the experience as “awesome, but not in a positive way”, making clear he was acutely aware of the awe-inspiring scale of the fan anger (even if the terminology raised eyebrows)

Not even stepping away from Mavericks games could shield Harrison from the chant. In February, Harrison attended a Southern Methodist University (SMU) college game in Dallas, only to have the student section erupt into “Fire Nico” chants upon spotting him in the stands. Even children joined in at that SMU game, as videos showed “the next generation… joining the ‘Fire Nico’ movement” to heckle the Mavs executive in a completely different arena. This illustrated how ubiquitous the slogan had become across Dallas. As WFAA News reported, Nico Harrison seemingly “can’t go anywhere in the city without calls for his termination.” Fans were venting not only at Mavericks games but at any opportunity, a reflection of how deeply the trade and subsequent losing stung the community.

Social Media Campaigns​

Beyond physical protests, Mavericks fans harnessed social media to voice and organize their discontent. On Twitter (now X), the hashtag #FireNico became a rallying cry. Fans flooded team-related posts with calls for Harrison’s firing and shared viral footage of chants at games. For example, during a late-October 2025 loss (as the new season began 0–2), a loud “Fire Nico!” chant broke out at the American Airlines Center. A fan’s video of it spread quickly on X.”‘ Fire Nico’ chant starts as the win-now Mavs are losing to the Wizards,” one fan tweeted, alongside a video capturing the crowd’s unified cries. The phrase even trended locally on Twitter at various points during the saga (especially after high-profile losses or news mentions), appearing in the platform’s trending topics for Dallas sports conversations.

Fans on X also shared memes and expressed their frustration in creative ways. Many began ironically referring to themselves as “free agent fans,” declaring that they would not support any team until Harrison was gone. “I thought being a free agent fan would be more fun, but this has sucked,” one supporter joked, pining for a reason to cheer for the Mavericks again. Others on Twitter directly pledged to stay away from team media or games “if they ever #FireNico,” effectively a conditional boycott. One fan told the Mavericks’ podcast hosts, “Looking forward to jumping back in if they ever #FireNico”, implying he had stopped engaging with team content until the GM was fired. Another fan tweeted, “So proud of our fanbase. Not letting Nico off the hook just because he drafted Cooper Flagg,” commending fellow supporters for keeping up the pressure despite a promising rookie joining the team. These posts, which were racking up likes and replies, demonstrate how MFFLs (Mavs Fans for Life) sustained a coordinated online movement calling for Harrison’s removal.

On Reddit, the Mavericks’ fan community was equally vocal and organized. The r/Mavericks subreddit saw daily discussion threads dissecting every team misstep and linking them to Harrison’s decisions. Highly upvoted posts carried titles like “Time to fire Nico” (after seeing Dončić thrive elsewhere) and “The Fire Nico chants are well deserved”, reflecting the consensus that the GM had to go. Fans on Reddit even coordinated some of the offline protests. For instance, brainstorming and promoting the “Dallas Deserves Better” billboard campaign that took shape in early February. The organizer of the billboard fundraiser shared planning details with the subreddit, rallying fellow fans to donate and contribute slogan ideas. In essence, Reddit became a hub for Mavericks faithful not only to commiserate but also to plan tangible actions (protests, billboards, coordinated chants) demonstrating their ire. By the time rumors swirled in November that Harrison was on the hot seat, users on r/Mavericks were tracking every development, with one commenter noting the “power of [fan] stupidity in numbers” that might finally force the front office’s hand

Other platforms also mirrored this sentiment. On Facebook and Instagram, local fan groups and pages shared clips of “Fire Nico” chants and photos of protest signs or T-shirts. One viral Facebook video showed a Mavs fan screaming “Fire Nico” directly at Harrison near the team tunnel, capturing the GM’s uncomfortable reaction before security intervened. Instagram posts from Mavericks games highlighted the unrest as well. For example, a Dallas news station’s Instagram account showed a fan wearing a custom “Fire Nico” shirt at a home game, noting that some supporters were literally wearing their displeasure on their sleeves. Even Dallas-area student sections got in on the social media moment, as clips of the SMU “Fire Nico” chant went viral on TikTok and Twitter, drawing comments like “Dallas fans are everywhere with this energy.” Across all these channels, fans amplified one another’s messages, making it clear that the call to fire Nico Harrison had united a large segment of the fan base.

The Team Response​

Throughout 2025, journalists and even Mavericks personnel regularly cited the fan backlash as an unavoidable factor in the team’s turmoil. The Dallas Morning News wrote that Harrison’s legacy would be defined by “immediate backlash from fans” over the Dončić trade, noting how chants of “Fire Nico” became “a universal swan song anytime the Mavericks found themselves in an unfortunate position”. That outlet observed that fans chanted it at the first game after the trade, during Dončić’s return to Dallas, and even as the team’s fortunes faded nine months later. By November, national analysts agreed “the writing was on the wall,” given the toxic fan atmosphere. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon documented how “‘Fire Nico!’ chants have frequently been heard in the American Airlines Center since the stunning trade”, intensifying as losses piled up. After one early-season defeat, MacMahon described “many Mavericks fans venting their frustration…in familiar fashion, chanting for the termination of Nico Harrison as the final minute played out” of the game. It was clear that this was no longer a fringe sentiment but a regular occurrence “familiar” to anyone following the Mavs.

Notably, players and coaches also publicly recognized the fans’ sentiments. Following a February game full of boos and “Fire Nico” calls, veteran Maverick Kyrie Irving told reporters he understood why people were so emotional: “To see the emotions come out like that over basketball just shows…they want to see [their favorite players] forever…. I understand where people are coming from”. His teammate Klay Thompson echoed that perspective, admitting “I’d probably voice my opinion too” if he were a fan upset by a trade. Thompson noted that while the players can’t get deflated by criticism, “it’s the nature of the game…we deserve a lot of criticism. We’re the ones out there… I was a fan for 20 years… I would’ve definitely criticized players”. This empathy from star players lent legitimacy to the fans’ grievances and indicated that the team’s locker room was aware of how badly the relationship with supporters had been damaged.

Even head coach Jason Kidd, who generally focused on on-court matters, commented on the chants. After fans resumed the “Fire Nico” chorus in October 2025 when Dallas started 0–2, Kidd told the media: “I think they have a right to vent… I understand the frustration. We all want to win… Fans have a right to express themselves”. He pleaded for patience as the retooled team found its footing, but acknowledged the anger was real and justified. Such remarks indicate that the coaching staff also felt the pressure, knowing that fan tolerance for a rebuild was low following the controversial trade.

---

Over the past nine months, Mavericks fans have mounted a sustained campaign, both online and in-person, that has kept the spotlight squarely on Nico Harrison’s tenure, which has been marred by controversy. Through trending hashtags, passionate Reddit threads, public protests, game-night chants, and even creative expressions like billboards and custom merchandise, the MFFL community made their dissatisfaction heard loud and clear. This ultimately demonstrates the significant impact a fan base can have on its team. While poor on-court performance provided the formal justification for the firing, it was the fans’ unwavering voice, as expressed through their protests, chants, and demands for accountability, that set the stage for this front-office change. As the dust settles, the saga of Nico Harrison’s firing stands as a testament to how fan sentiment can directly impact a franchise’s direction in professional sports.

You can listen to our latest podcast episode in the player embedded below, and to make sure you don’t miss a single one moving forward, subscribe to the Pod Maverick podcast feed on Apple, Spotify, Pandora, Pocketcasts, YouTube, Amazon Music, Castbox.

You can check out our After Dark Recap podcasts, YouTube Live recordings, and guest shows on the Pod Maverick Podcast feed. Please subscribe, rate, and review.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/mavericks-analysis/52306/mavs-fans-got-nico-harrison-fired

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Grading the Mavericks: the witch is dead, and the Phoenix rises

The Mavericks were 1-3 this past week, and remain in 14th place in the West. The lone win came against Washington (111-105), while the three losses came in Memphis (118-104) and at home to New Orleans (101-99) and Milwaukee (116-113). Cooper Flagg, for the first time in his young career, led the team in scoring over the last week with 17.5 points per game. Anthony Davis (calf), Kyrie Irving (knee), Dante Exum (knee), and Dereck Lively (knee) all remained out.

Grade: C+​

From a basketball standpoint, this was a stretch that left much to be desired. Without exaggeration, the performances Dallas put together against the Pelicans and Grizzlies were two of the more pathetic showings I have seen from a team that is trying to win. Fortunately, they avoided a season sweep against Washington and actually put together a good game at home against the Bucks.

This week will likely not be remembered for the basketball, however. The game against the Bucks should be memorialized as a sign of fight and promise. But the reason Dallas gets a C+, even with three ugly basketball games, is that they have moved on from general manager Nico Harrison and unveiled their city edition uniforms, which are pretty sweet:

New story: The Mavs have officially unveiled their new City Edition uniforms, a reimagined version of their 2020-21 set that honors one of Dallas’ most iconic symbols, Pegasus.

Dallas will debut its new threads in Saturday’s home game against the Blazers. https://t.co/Y1v8HLHRms pic.twitter.com/wO9PVlOmjR

— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) November 11, 2025

Straight A’s: Naji Marshall​

Marshall has been one of my favorite players since Dallas signed him. He made more sense on a previous version of this team, but he still has a lot of value. His versatility was on display in the last four games, where he averaged nearly 16 points, six rebounds, and four assists on over 50 percent shooting. His 30 points against the Wizards single-handedly won them that game, and he makes plays that most of the guys on this team cannot. As the Mavericks’ priorities likely shift over the coming weeks, Marshall is a guy who could be beneficial to keep around for a while.

Currently Failing: Nico Harrison​

As many have said, the war is over. Harrison has officially been fired as the Mavericks’ general manager, and this is incredibly important for two reasons. The first being obvious: he cannot hurt us any longer. The man who is responsible for the worst trade in the history of American sports is no longer employed in Dallas. He can’t make any more roster moves that torpedo the franchise or enrage the fanbase.

The second is simply that the cloud has been lifted. Lifted from the organization, from Mavericks fandom, and from the players themselves. It has been a bizarre nine months. The crowd in Dallas has been frustrated, with “Fire Nico!” chants ringing out in every moment of adversity, even if the team was leading in a game. It was hard to want the team to be good because you knew that meant letting Harrison win. There were protests, season tickets lost, plenty of anger online, and a toxic environment that seemed like it would never heal. That is all over now. To Patrick Dumont’s credit, he finally recognized the necessity to sever ties with Harrison. The Mavericks can accept the fact that they need to start over with Cooper Flagg and work towards winning their fanbase back. There is a palpable joy in Dallas after the news of the firing. For many people, Wednesday night may be the first time since last Christmas that they feel comfortable being excited for the Mavericks to go out and win. The road ahead will be long, but at long last, it is starting to be traversed.

Extra Credit: Cooper Flagg​

On the same night that Dumont decided to fire Nico Harrison, Flagg had his career-best outing. He dropped 26 points (career-high), grabbed nine rebounds, dished out four assists, and had the play of the game for Dallas when he drove in and finished over Giannis Antetokounmpo to take the lead late:

COOPER FLAGG OVER GIANNIS FOR THE LEAD.

pic.twitter.com/fAHXzWMGz6

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 11, 2025

It’s a play like this, where he goes coast-to-coast, spins, and scores on one of the best interior defenders in the world, that shows you what Flagg can be. His poise at just 18 years old is remarkable, and the completeness with which he played against the Bucks erased the sour taste of a couple of stinkers before that. This was the type of performance that could catapult Flagg for the rest of the season. It was poetry: on the night Dallas’ rookie phenom took off, the tenure of the man responsible for Dallas being in a position to draft him came to a close.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...ericks-nba-2025-26-cooper-flagg-nico-harrison