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[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs. Pistons Recap: 4 thoughts as Dallas guts out a 116-114 overtime win over Detroit

The Dallas Mavericks (11-17) survived a basketball game played by prison rules on Thursday night, escaping with a 116-114 overtime win over the Detroit Pistons (21-6) at American Airlines Center. The Mavericks blocked 14 shots in the win, the most in a game for Dallas since 2013, and the Mavs knuckled up in the game’s waning minutes despite getting killed on the offensive glass for most of the night.

Cooper Flagg was one of four Mavericks who blocked three shots and led the Mavs with 23 points and 10 boards in the win. Anthony Davis shrugged off a horrible start to the game to come up with a couple big plays down the stretch as well and finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 29 points, 10 boards and nine assists in the loss.

The Mavericks started the game with a certain gusto, going 8-of-14 from the field in the game’s first five minutes on their way to an early 18-9 lead over the best team in the Eastern Conference. P.J. Washington slammed home a putback dunk just 3:30 into the game to pull the Mavs ahead 8-7 to ignite a 12-2 Dallas run, which featured a one-handed rim-rocker from Flagg and a rhythm 3-pointer from Washington on back-to-back possessions to force an early timeout from Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

The Pistons responded with an 11-2 run of their own, capped by Cade Cunningham’s running alley-oop finish in transition, as turnovers reared their ugly head for the Mavericks as the first quarter rolled on. Dallas bounced back in the final few minutes of the frame as Washington and Naji Marshall scored nine points apiece to lead the Mavericks to a 35-30 lead after one.

Pistons’ forward Ausar Thompson was thrown out of the game with five minutes left in the second quarter after running up on official John Goble, who had just called Thompson for an off-ball foul as Thompson battled with the smaller Ryan Nembhard for a rebound. Thompson brushed up against Goble while letting his feelings be known about the call in the exchange, and the letter of the law gave Goble the grounds to not only add a technical foul to his ledger but to send Thompson to the locker room early as well.

The Mavs were already in the midst of what would blossom into a 22-6 run when Thompson was sent off. Klay Thompson hit a wide open 3-pointer to give Dallas a 44-42 lead before Cormac Karl “Max” Christie hit two of his own on back-to-back possessions a minute later. Flagg’s banking runner in the lane gave the Mavs their first double-digit lead of the game, 57-46, with four minutes left before halftime, and Washington found a cutting Daniel Gafford for a big-man slam with 2:13 left before halftime to put Dallas ahead 63-48.

Cade Cunningham picked up a technical with 24 seconds left in the second after arguing for a foul call against Davis, who appeared to make contact on Cunningham’s follow-through on a 3-point attempt, but Christie missed the free throw after Cunningham got heated with officials. Christie led the Mavs with nine points off the bench in an eventful second quarter, and the Mavericks took a 66-57 lead into halftime.

Raise the Flagg​

Cooper Flagg reaches WAYYY back

Nice start for the No. 1 pick coming off a career-high 42 last game!

Watch here: https://t.co/e5UWv4oXy2 pic.twitter.com/vH1lAkE5J5

— NBA (@NBA) December 19, 2025

Did Flagg not set the world on fire his last time out, with a record-breaking 42-point performance in the Mavericks’ 140-133 overtime loss at the Utah Jazz? Is he not carving the league up 25 games into his NBA career? Did he not provide a couple of highlight reel buckets at the rim when the ball came his way on Thursday? At what point does his dominance command at least one single solitary play to be drawn up for him?

There is no excuse for this team to ignore Flagg like they did in the first half on Thursday — especially not on a night when Davis was little more than a doormat in the lane for the Pistons to run over on their way to the basket. Flagg shot the ball four times in the first half against Detroit. He made three of them.

Somehow, Dallas got away with it against one of the best teams in the NBA, but it’s just maddening to see this team lose sight of the nuclear talent at its disposal for long stretches at a time. Flagg did what he could in his 18 first-half minutes, scoring eight points and grabbing six boards in a half when Detroit out-rebounded the Mavs 32-28.

Flagg took matters into his own hands in the third, though. He saw the sea parting before him and rose up for his second highlight dunk of the game with 7:06 left in the third to put Dallas ahead 79-63. Two minutes later, Flagg showed his prowess on the other end of the floor, blocking an alley-oop attempt from Jalen Duren at the rim. He scored nine points in the third as the Mavericks extended their nine-point halftime lead to 12, fending off a flurry from Detroit’s bench unit late in the frame to take a 91-79 lead into the fourth quarter.

The kid is a highlight reel. He wills himself to become unstoppable, even when his own teammates are the ones slowing him down. Flagg scored 15 of his team-high 23 points in the second half against the Pistons and did everything he could down the stretch

Just enough Davis​

There is no joy in wrapping a signature win with a wet blanket, but Davis was an eyesore for most of the night against the Pistons. So was Thompson, for that matter. Davis let Jalen Duren run roughshod through the lane on his way to 17 points in the first half. He missed his first eight attempts from the field, fading away on his post-up attempts and exuding an air of cautious passivity for three quarters. Davis finally rattled home one of those fading post-up attempts midway through the third quarter over Duren for his first bucket of the game to put the Mavericks in front, 81-66. He got posterized on a vicious slam by Cunningham the next time down before connecting on his first 3-pointer of the night on the other end.

Davis opened the fourth quarter by giving up yet another offensive rebound to Detroit reserve big man Paul Reed and surrendering two more second-chance points on a baseline hook. Detroit was bullying the Mavericks on the offensive glass, outscoring Dallas 25-7 on second-chance opportunities to that point.

Davis has made a career of feasting on also-ran teams and no-showing against tougher competition. If the team wants to cry “calf contusion” after the fact, then sit him for another night. God knows this team has grown accustomed to playing without him in the lineup.

Davis finished with 15 points on 7-of-18 shooting and 14 rebounds in the win. He went 7-of-10 from the field after missing his first eight attempts.

Things fall apart … or do they?​

The Mavs’ 12-point lead evaporated in a hurry as the Pistons decided enough was enough to start the fourth quarter. Reed abused Davis on the opening possession of the fourth to ignite a little 12-2 run fueled by Reed and fellow second-teamer (and Dallas Hillcrest High School’s own) Daniss Jenkins, who scored on a baseline 3-pointer and a pull-up mid-range jumper to cut Dallas’ lead to 93-89 with 9:47 left to play.

Flagg stopped the bleeding two possessions later with a pull-up of his own to keep the Mavs in front, 95-91, but Jenkins dropped in a creative little tear-drop over Davis to tie it up, 95-95, with 7:45 left in the game. The officials swallowed their whistles as the fourth quarter wore on, and the Pistons continued to bludgeon the Mavericks on the offensive glass. Isaiah Stewart’s rough-and-tumble putback dunk midway through the fourth gave Detroit its first lead of the second half, 99-97.

You could see the wheels coming off and the Mavs’ liabilities inside coming home to roost, but the Mavs had one last gasp in them. Marshall finished a baby hook in transition over two Pistons’ defenders with 2:39 left to play to pull the Mavs back in front, 104-103. Davis tipped home Flagg’s driving miss inside on a play that looked like he touched the ball while it was still in the cylinder, but it went un-called, and the Mavs suddenly held a 106-103 lead.

But Cunningham, whose jersey number was retired at nearby Arlington Bowie High School one night earlier, scored on back-to-back possessions in the final 90 seconds of the game to swing things back in Detroit’s favor. Jenkins hit a pair of free throws with 59 seconds showing on the clock to extend the Pistons’ lead to 109-106. Flagg threw two more late punches in the final minute, with a clutch floater in the lane to bring the Mavericks back within 109-108 just seven seconds later and a pull-up jumper with 19 ticks left to pull Dallas in front 110-109.

Davis fouled Stewart with 3.4 seconds remaining, sending Stewart to the line for two free throws. Stewart bricked the front end, but tied the game on the next one, setting the Mavs up with one last chance to pull out an unlikely win. With the Detroit defense blanketing Flagg on the inbound pass after a timeout, the ball went Thompson’s way. Thompson’s baseline runner hit rim, backboard, then rim again, but wouldn’t go down, and five minutes of free basketball would have to decide things.

Flagg found Davis for a dunk along the baseline with 1:35 left in the overtime period to give Dallas a 116-114 advantage, and Davis won a rugby scrum for a defensive rebound against Buren with 15 seconds remaining, showing a glimmer of toughness for the first time all night when the Mavericks needed it most.

Mavs Trivia: Block party​

For the first time in Dallas Mavericks’ franchise history, four players each recorded three or more blocked shots in the same game against the Pistons. Flagg, Washington, Davis and Gafford each recorded three blocked shots against the Pistons on Thursday. Little Brandon Williams blocked a pair of shots as well in the win.

The Mavs were given every chance to block shots inside on Thursday, given the volume of offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities the Pistons manufactured on the glass. Detroit beat Dallas up on the offensive glass, 25-11 on the night, and outscored the Mavs 30-15 in second-chance points in the loss.

There were no shortage of statistical anomalies in the Mavs’ latest win, but Dallas will take this one any way they could get it in the end.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...14-cooper-flagg-anthony-davis-cade-cunningham

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

3 things as Dallas travels to Philadephia

The Dallas Mavericks have the look of a team that has started to figure some things out. Flagg has improved game to game, Nembhard has emerged as a starting-capable point guard, and the front court has some of its depth back with Anthony Davis returning and Daniel Gafford not having to shoulder the entire weight of the center position.

Philly, as seems to be the case every year, has looked promising, but are dealing with injury to a number of starters, including Joel Embiid, who is unlikely to be available to play against Dallas because of an illness and knee injury. The 76ers are also without Kelly Oubre. Playing against the Knicks on the first leg of a back-to-back won’t do the shorthanded squad any favors, either.

Attack mode​

Over the last 10 games, Dallas has the seventh-most drives per game. Their concerted effort to get to the rim, especially from players who are high-quality finishers like Flagg, Davis, and Nembhard, the Mavericks have seen their FG% close to the rim, from five to nine feet from the hoop, to 51.3%, fifth-best on the season.

It’s a marked shift in play style and offensive efficacy from a team that was allergic to paint touches early in the year. Not only has getting to the rim paid dividends in terms of shooting percentages, but they’re also earning their fair share of trips to the free-throw line, which has been a deciding factor in quite a few of their victories. Just against Detroit, Dallas marched to the line 36 times compared to the Pistons’ 20, and Dallas made 31, good for a team F% of 86%. Every point matters in an overtime victory.

Marking Maxey​

Tyrese Maxey has emerged as a true cornerstone for Philadelphia, as he’s leading the team in points (31.5) assists (7.2), and steals (1.7).

The 76ers’ second leading scorer, Embiid, is unlikely to suit up for Dallas, so the load that will be squarely on Maxey’s shoulders will be just that much heavier to deliver — especially offensively. Philadelphia’s next highest scorer is the 35-year-old Paul George. He’s a danger to get hot on any given night, but it’d be surprising if that night came on the second game of a back-to-back.

If Dallas can shut down Maxey, Philadelphia’s offense might just be stuck in the mud. The Mavs, on the other hand, is a team whose offensive output is much more diversified. They have eight players averaging double-digit scoring, but no one is averaging above 20 per game.

Petition to move East​

Dallas will be heading to Philadelphia as the winners of five out of their last seven games, with their most recent coming against the East’s top-rated team. This season they’ve also already notched victories against the Raptors and Heat — the number three and seven teams in the East — and lost by just two points to the second-seeded Knicks, who had to mount a furious fourth-quarter comeback to earn the dub.

Contrast that with how they’ve fared in the West (though the Denver and Houston victories are promising), and you can see which way the power in the league is shifted.

The 76ers are currently fifth in the East and, considering the two teams’ current trajectories, might add another Eastern Conference notch to their belt. The status of Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson is up in the air, but if Dallas rolls into Philly largely healthy, against a short-handed team on a back-to-back, their trademark late-season surge might officially be coming early.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...845/3-things-as-dallas-travels-to-philadephia

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMBets: Will the climb towards .500 continue in Philly?

The Dallas Mavericks (11–17, 3–7 Away) are coming off a gritty 116–114 overtime win in Detroit — a game that may have been too close for comfort, but still marked another notch in their December climb. Now they head to Philadelphia to face the 76ers (15–11, 8–7 Home), who remain uncertain on the status of Joel Embiid and have already ruled out Kelly Oubre.

Dallas has now won six of its last eight — a stretch fueled by rim pressure, high free-throw volume, and the accelerating development of Cooper Flagg. Even in their losses, the execution has improved, and the effort has held steady. Philadelphia, meanwhile, just played a tough game against the Knicks last night and could be dealing with fatigue on the second night of a back-to-back — especially with Embiid still listed as day-to-day.

If Dallas really has turned a corner, it’ll show in matchups like this: beatable opponents on the second night of a back-to-back, with your key guys playing better and your rotation settling.

Let’s scan the lines in search of value.

Game Fixtures​

December 20, 2025 — Dallas Mavericks (11–17, 3–7 Away) at Philadelphia 76ers (15–11, 8–7 Home)
Tipoff: 6:00 PM CT — Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
How To Watch: KFAA-TV, Mavs.com

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook (as of 6:45 AM CST)​

Spread: DAL +2.5 (-108) / PHI -2.5 (-112)
Total: 226.5 (O -110 / U -110)
Moneyline: DAL +130 / PHI -155

Game Sides​

Lean: Mavericks +2.5 (contingent on Embiid being ruled out)
Lean: Under 226.5

The Mavericks are trending up — not in flashy ways, but in grounded, repeatable ones. Their drives per game rank seventh in the league over the past ten contests, and they’re converting those into high-quality looks, foul line trips, and more balanced scoring. Detroit forced overtime, but Dallas still shot 86% from the stripe and got key stops late.

This is a gut check moment. The Sixers are solid at home (8–7) and still dangerous when Maxey gets loose, but if Embiid is out or limited, this feels like a game Dallas should be expected to win. They’re better rested, slightly healthier, and playing with more cohesion on both ends.

We’re also leaning under the total here. Without Embiid, Philly’s scoring profile narrows considerably, and Dallas games—even in wins—haven’t typically turned into track meets. If the pace resembles regulation tempo from the Detroit game (not the OT-inflated final score), then something closer to 215–220 feels more realistic than the 226 range currently listed.

Player Props​

Cooper Flagg over 18.5 Points (-102)
Flagg has cleared 20 points in four of his last six games, including a career-high 42-point explosion against Utah. His confidence in transition and comfort at the line (35-for-42 in that stretch, 83.3%) give this line value, especially in a game that could lean on his isolation scoring if Philly loads up on Davis.

Tyrese Maxey over 3.5 threes (+153)
This is a plus-money dart with merit. Maxey has hit at least four threes in four of his last six games, including 6-for-12 against the Knicks and 5-for-8 versus the Lakers. With Embiid uncertain and Philly’s shot creation concentrated in his hands, the volume will be there — he’s taken 9+ attempts in 9 of his last 12 games. If Dallas collapses early on his drives, this line could clear before the fourth quarter.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...icks-at-sixers-does-the-climb-to-500-continue

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Player Grades: Recapping Mavericks vs. 76ers

The Dallas Mavericks made a trip east to face the 76ers on Saturday night. Coming off a gutsy overtime win against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night, Dallas was unable to continue their winning ways as they were dealt a 121-114 loss.

Let’s get to the grades!

Ryan Nembhard: C+​

7 PTS / 0 REB / 5 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 26 MIN​

Nembhard was fine, with slightly subpar shooting (3-for-7) and an overall game that is best described as decent. Nothing remarkable, nothing terrible, nothing especially notable.

Naji Marshall: A​

22 PTS / 9 REB / 4 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 34 MIN​

Marshall has been playing great basketball lately and he continued the trend tonight. His turnover total (5) left much to be desired, but otherwise he continued his trend of elite finishing in the paint to shoot 9-for-12 overall. He was slick in drawing a foul on a full-court heave at the end of the first quarter, earning himself a 3-for-3 trip to the free throw line.

Cooper Flagg: B+​

24 PTS / 4 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 36 MIN​

Flagg continues to put in work. He shot well from the floor (8-for-16) and his free throw shooting was lights out (8-for-8). The counter point was four fouls and three turnovers. Generally speaking, he continues to grow and to show he is one of the best players on the team any given night. Tonight was no different. Solid outing that just wasn’t quite enough to help the team overcome some other errors.

P.J. Washington: B​

15 PTS / 8 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 30 MIN​

Washington did a little bit of everything and had a hot hand, going 6-for-8 overall and 1-for-2 from beyond the arc, which only made it worse that he missed a three in the waning minutes that would have kept Dallas connected. One shot does not a grade make, and he did otherwise have a nice game, though his -13 plus/minus tells a tale of its own.

Anthony Davis: B+​

24 PTS / 14 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 34 MIN​

Davis looked much better tonight, hopefully a sign that his calf injury and illness are behind him. He was badly pushed around by Andre Drummond a few times — not surprising given how Drummond plays — but the lack of forceful resistance was apparent. Still, he had himself a very nice night and was arguably Dallas’ best player for the evening. He connected on 55% of his 20 shots and went off for a nice double-double.

Klay Thompson: C-​

10 PTS / 1 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 17 MIN​

Thompson could not find the range from deep. He shot 4-for-10 overall, but missed 5-of-6 from downtown. Ouch. He was also a team high (low) minus-20 in plus/minus and was largely unmemorable aside from those glaring misses that just would not fall for him tonight.

Final Thoughts​

The Mavs were a turnover machine in the first quarter. Had it not been for seven giveaways, the story at the end of the first frame may not have been a five-point deficit. Taking care of the ball continued to be a problem throughout, as was Philadelphia’s ability to collect offensive rebounds. The Mavs hurt themselves almost as much as the 6ers hurt them.

Simply put, this was a very, very winnable game for Dallas. Had they taken even poor care of the ball and fouled even slightly less (the starting five had 15 fouls combined), they probably would have won by seven instead of losing by seven.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...1-114-cooper-flagg-anthony-davis-tyrese-maxey

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

3 things to watch as the Mavericks visit the Pelicans

The Dallas Mavericks (11-18) will travel to New Orleans Monday to face the Pelicans (7-22) with a 7:30pm tipoff at the Smoothie King Center. The two clubs enter this game rejuvenated by recent success, with the Pelicans riding a four-game win streak after stuffing the Pacers into a locker Saturday 128-109, and the Mavericks having won six of their last nine games after their 121-114 loss Saturday in Philadelphia.

Like the Mavericks, the Pelicans secured a tough overtime win against one of the league’s best teams Thursday. Against the Rockets they fumbled a first-quarter lead, then came back from down 22 at the half to prevail in overtime, 133-128. The victory extended a streak that began with wins against Portland and in Chicago. Meanwhile, Dallas gutted out a rock fight with the East-leading Pistons, 116-114.

These teams split their previous two meetings this season, both home games for Dallas. The Pelicans won 101-99 Nov. 5, then the Mavericks got revenge Nov. 21, 118-115. For the Pelicans, forward Herb Jones left Saturday’s game with a head injury and did not return; he is doubtful for Monday. The Mavericks will miss guard Kyrie Irving, out with a knee injury, and center Dereck Lively II (foot).

Ahead of the game​

Like the Mavericks, the Pelicans have been energized by a pair of dynamic rookies in the starting lineup, center Derik Queen and point guard Jeremiah Fears. Queen, a rapidly improving playmaker with excellent footwork, touch, and vision, is a creative passer operating with the ball above the break. He’s also a deft manipulator of rhythm on post-ups and drives, where he can score over taller defenders or dump off to a cutter. That aforementioned creativity can tip into some risk-taking; the big man averages 4.0 assists per game but also averages 2.3 turnovers. Against the Pacers Saturday he unsuccessfully tried a couple of sneaky lob attempts from beyond the arc that he’ll either have the wisdom not to try or the skills to pull off a year from now. The speedy Fears, chippy against the Mavericks in their most recent matchup, has a nice pull-up jumper but is most dangerous in transition and on drives. He was one of four Pelicans to top 20 points against the Mavericks Nov. 21.

The Mavericks’ own youth movement continued Saturday against the 76ers as Cooper Flagg shared the team scoring lead of 24 points with Anthony Davis, and guard Ryan Nembhard submitted an unspectacular but steady outing in which he did not worsen the team’s turnover troubles.

Stalwart secondary​

Like the Mavericks, the Pelicans’ chances of winning improve considerably when their best player, a former No. 1 overall selection power forward with game-altering abilities on both ends who has been dogged by years-long questions of durability, is in the lineup. Zion Williamson came into this season in the best shape of his seven-year career, determined to avoid the injuries that have limited him to 35.6 games per season going into 2025-26 (he missed all of 2021-22 and played in a career-high 70 games in 2023-24). While he hasn’t been completely immune from health woes, having missed six games in early December with a left hip adductor strain, his improved conditioning helped him return about a week ahead of schedule in their win against Chicago.

Zion, who scored 29 points in 24 minutes against the Pacers, has come off the bench and played limited minutes in each of his three games since returning. He adds to the veteran presence among the reserves also being provided lately by guard Jordan Poole. Poole, who returned the game before Williamson after a quadriceps injury kept him out of the previous 17 games, is enduring a down year of three-point shooting after nailing them at a career high mark of . 378 last year; he’s chipping in 17.8 points per contest for New Orleans. Reserve guard and longtime Mav-tormentor Jose Alvarado is a pest at point guard; the Mavericks will have to exercise more caution than they did early against Philadelphia Saturday, when first-quarter turnovers put them in a hole.

Turning the thing around​

Like the Mavericks, the Pelicans have shrugged off a seemingly hopeless start to the season as their offensive identity has coalesced. One silver lining to playing without Williamson so often over the years is that New Orleans has plenty of practice doing it. Although the attention commanded by Zion gave the Pelicans’ shooters space as the team began its comeback against Houston, the team completed the feat using a balanced attack with Williamson sitting for much of the fourth, led by the team’s other three starters, forwards Saddiq Bey, who scored 29 points; Herb Jones, who scored 18; and Trey Murphy III, the team’s de facto No. 1 offensive option for much of the year, who scored 27. The career .381 three-point shooter has picked up right where his breakout 2024-25 season left off, averaging just under 22 points per game.

Monday’s game will be the second for Dallas in a stretch in which it plays eight of 11 games on the road; beating their downstairs neighbor in the division standings would give the club a much needed boost. The team can help itself by connecting on more than the three shots from deep it managed against the 76ers. Max Christie, tagged for two fouls early, never got into his game and missed both his attempts from the field. Klay Thompson has had some nice shooting games lately but only made one of seven from beyond the arc last time around.

The Mavericks can also control their fate with another excellent paint performance from Naji Marshall, and improved rebounding against a Pelicans team that has gotten beaten on the boards even in its two most recent victories. Like most NBA teams, New Orleans is capable of controlling the glass in stretches; in jumping out to its early lead in the Houston game, the Pelicans collected four first-quarter offensive rebounds in a frame where they shared the floor with Houston’s Steven Adams much of the time.

How to watch/listen​

You can watch the game on KFAA Channel 29 or MAVS TV (streaming), or listen at 97.1FM KEGL (English), and 99.1FM KFZO (español).

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...-to-watch-as-the-mavericks-visit-the-pelicans

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Stats Rundown: 7 numbers to know from the Mavericks’ 121-114 loss at the Philadelphia 76ers

The Dallas Mavericks (11-18) fell apart in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers (16-11) on Saturday, 121-114, at XFinity Mobile Arena. The Mavericks scored just 17 points in the fourth quarter, when they shot 7-of-23 (30.4%) from the field after taking a six-point lead into the final frame. The backcourt combo of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe combined to score 64 points on eight made 3-pointers, and 20 of those 64 points came in the pivotal fourth quarter.

The fourth-quarter scoring flurry was just too much for the Mavs to handle, after coming into the game winners of six of the team’s last eight games. Now the Mavericks face a stretch where eight of their next 11 games (including Saturday’s loss) will come on the road. Nut-cuttin’ time is a-coming.

Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis each scored 24 points to lead the Mavs in the loss, but Dallas turned the ball over 18 times in the loss. And those two were free, so here are seven more stats that tell the tale of the Mavs’ latest loss in Philadelphia.

7: First-quarter Mavericks turnovers​

After falling down 5-0 in the game’s opening minutes, the Mavericks responded with an early 13-3 run to force 76ers head coach Nick Nurse into the game’s first timeout. That’s when turnovers reared their ugly head for Dallas, as they have so many times this season, especially early in games.

The Mavericks turned the ball over three times in the next two minutes to give the lead right back to Philadelphia. Naji Marshall, who has been playing great whether he’s in the starting lineup or coming in off the bench this year, coughed it up three times in the first 6:40 of the game. His third led to a transition 3-pointer from Maxey, his second 3-ball of the first quarter, which gave the 76ers a 16-15 lead.

Two minutes later, Klay Thompson threw a bad pass out of bounds for the Mavs’ sixth turnover of the opening frame, leading to a step-back jumper from Edgecombe, which gave Philadelphia a 22-19 lead with 3:13 left in the first. Thompson threw away another awful pass a minute and a half later. Jared McCain picked it off, and Edgecombe was a blur in transition on his way to the bucket this time to put the 76ers up 33-21.

Edgecombe did his best Dwane Wade impression in the first quarter, torching the Mavericks for 14 points, while Maxey, who played his high school basketball at South Garland High, added 11 more on three made 3-pointers. Philly took a 38-33 lead after one, outscoring the Mavs 10-0 off turnovers.

26-24: VJ Edgecombe’s slight scoring advantage over Cooper Flagg​

Saturday’s game between the Mavericks and the 76ers featured the two most exciting rookies in the NBA’s 2025-26 class in Edgecombe and Flagg, and this in-game side quest didn’t disappoint. Flagg came into the game second among rookies in scoring, at 18.6 points per game, while Edgecombe came in third, at 15.6. Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel leads all rookies in scoring a third of the way through the season, at 19.4 points per game.

Edgecombe was the engine that made the 76ers go in the first quarter, getting the edge on Flagg with 14 early points, while Flagg took just three shots in the first and scored four of his eight early points at the free-throw line. Ryan Nembhard found Flagg streaking to the hoop after a steal in transition midway through the second quarter, with Edgecomb the only defender back for the 76ers. Edgecombe hacked Flagg to prevent him from getting to the rim for an easy score, picking up his third foul of the first half on the play. He did not score in the second, while Flagg made the plays the game asked him to make and finished the first half with 12 points (to go along with three turnovers).

On the Mavs’ next possession, Flagg pressed the issue on his way to the rack again, splitting the Philadelphia defense for a driving score to bring Dallas to within one, down 55-54 with 5:15 left in the second. Flagg tied the game, 68-68, on another strong drive to the hoop just a minute into the third, as part of an initial 10-0 Mavericks’ run out of halftime.

Edgecombe drove right past Flagg three minutes into the third quarter on his way to his first bucket of the second half, which killed what was then a 12-0 Dallas run, carried over from the last seconds of the second quarter. Four minutes later, Davis found Flagg alone along the baseline off a loose ball, and Flagg dunked it home over Andre Drummond to give the Mavs a 78-74 lead. Two possessions later, Edgecombe hit his first 3-pointer of the game to bring Philly back to within 80-79. He would nail two more before the third quarter was out. But Flagg would not be outdone, scoring on a turnaround jumper two possessions later to put the Mavericks up 84-79 with 4:40 left in the third.

Edgecombe held a slim 22-20 scoring advantage over Flagg after three quarters. Flagg’a baseline jumper three minutes into the fourth quarter tied the game at 104-104, but two minutes later, Edgecombe’s double-pumping drive through the lane gave the 76ers a 108-104 lead and forced Mavs head coach Jason Kidd into a timeout at a crucial juncture of the game.

Flagg’s baseline alley-oop jam in transition from Brandon Williams with 4:35 left to play brought the Mavs back to within 115-108 and gave Flagg 24 points for the game, but the damage (see bottom section) had already been done at that point.

These rooks can hoop. Flagg concluded his tenure as an 18-year-old in the NBA on Saturday, averaging 18.7 points per game before his 19th birthday, second only to LeBron James (20.2 points per game) in NBA history. He turns 19 on Sunday. Flagg scored 24 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists in the loss, while Edgecombe scored 26, pulled down six boards and dished four assists in the 76ers’ win.

16: First-half points from Dominick Barlow​

While Maxey predictably led all scorers with 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting, someone named Dominick Barlow turned Saturday’s first half into a career night, adding 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting for the 76ers. Barlow got the start at power forward in the absence of injured stars Joel Embiid and Paul George.

Barlow is a two-way player in his fourth year in the NBA out of Overtime Elite, Atlanta’s private high-school alternative for top-level basketball prospects. His previous high-scoring mark this year was 13 points, before he exploded for 16 in Saturday’s first half against the Mavericks. He cut to the basket for an uncontested dunk with 20 seconds left in the first half to put Philadelphia up 68-60, before Anthony Davis tipped home Flagg’s missed jumper on the final possession of the half to make it a 68-62 game at the break.

Davis led the Mavericks with 14 points and eight rebounds at halftime. Barlow scored 13 in the second quarter, often finding himself free underneath for easy dunks early in the shot clock or in transition. His career-high scoring mark came in a 21-point performance against the Mavericks in 2023, when he played with the San Antonio Spurs. Barlow would match that career-high mark midway through the third on a turnaround jumper from former Maverick Quentin Grimes, which cut the Mavericks’ lead to two, 78-76.

Barlow finished the game with 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting and four rebounds.

8-of-8: Naji Marshall’s shooting start​

Marshall shrugged off his three early turnovers against the 76ers to hit his first eight shots from the field. He didn’t miss until there were just 4:30 left to play, on a coast-to-coast drive for a floater that could have cut the Philadelphia lead to five.

Marshall matched Flagg’s 12 points at the break and scored eight more in the third. His runner in the lane with 3:13 left in the third put Dallas up 88-83 and gave Marshall 20 points on the night.

All eight of Marshall’s shot attempts to that point came within the lane, where he is shooting better than 64% this season. The trio of Marshall, Flagg and Davis turned the tide in the third quarter, giving the Mavericks a 97-91 lead heading into the fourth. Those three shot 22-of-28 from the field through the first three quarters for the Mavs.

Two possessions after his first miss of the game, Marshall converted a transition look in close from P.J. Washington that cut the 76ers’ lead to 117-112, but that was as close as the Mavs could get to a comeback. Marshall finished the game with 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting and nine rebounds in the loss.

24-7: 76ers’ run to start the fourth quarter​

The 76ers came into Saturday’s game with the best fourth-quarter scoring differential (+5.0) in the NBA, and they showed the Mavericks why through the first six minutes of the frame. Maxey and Edgecombe combined to score 16 points during the 76ers’ 24-7 run to open the fourth. Edgecombe found Maxey open near the top of the key with 6:30 left to play for Maxey’s fifth 3-ball of the game to extend the 76ers’ lead to 11, up 115-104, after the Mavs carried a 97-91 lead into the decisive frame.

The Mavericks couldn’t come back from Philly’s late knockout blow.

36-9: 76ers’ scoring advantage from 3-point range​

In a game that featured 16 lead changes, look no further than these last two stats for why the Mavericks fell in Philadelphia on Saturday. Dallas couldn’t the 3-ball to save their lives against the 76ers, making just 3-of-18 (16.7%) attempts from deep in the loss.

The 76ers didn’t have a great shooting night from 3-point land, either, but they connected on 12-of-40 (30%) in the win, outscoring the Mavericks 36-9 from beyond the arc in the win. Maxey and Edgecombe combined to hit 8-of-22 from 3-point range against Dallas.

“We just weren’t secure with the basketball,” Kidd said in his televised press availability after the game. “We just didn’t make [3-pointers], and we didn’t defend the ball well [on Saturday].”

20-8: 76ers’ offensive rebounding advantage​

The 76ers beat the Mavs from the outside, and they won the rebounding battle on the inside as well. Philadelphia created 20 second-chance opportunities with offensive rebounds and gave up just eight on the other end. They outscored the Mavericks 19-12 on those second-chance opportunities in the win and shot the ball 19 more times than the Mavs did because of the 18 Dallas turnovers and the offensive rebounding advantage.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...flagg-tyrese-maxey-anthony-davis-vj-edgecombe

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMBets: Can the Mavs slow the Pelicans’ momentum?

The Mavericks have won five of their eight December games, but they’re coming off a narrow loss in Philadelphia where Tyrese Maxey’s fourth-quarter burst proved too much to overcome. Despite a strong performance from their frontcourt — Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis each scored 24 — Dallas fell 121–114 after surrendering 20 offensive rebounds and committing 18 turnovers.

New Orleans, meanwhile, is riding a season-best four-game win streak, leaning on high-efficiency spurts from Zion Williamson and a suddenly productive bench unit. They just dropped 66 bench points on Indiana and opened that game with a 44-point quarter — their best start of the year. But even with that surge, the Pelicans sit just 7–22 on the season and rank near the bottom of the league in defensive rating. If Dallas can manage the early tempo and control the glass, this matchup remains winnable — especially with Flagg active and Davis stabilizing the paint.

Game Fixtures​

December 22, 2025 — Dallas Mavericks (11–18, 3–8 Away) at New Orleans Pelicans (7–22, 5–12 Home)
Tipoff: 7:00 PM CT — Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
How To Watch: KFAA-TV, Mavs.com

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook (as of 6:30 AM CST)

Spread: DAL +1.5 (-115) / NOP -1.5 (-105)
Total: 239.5 (O -105 / U -115)
Moneyline: DAL +108 / NOP -112

Game Sides​

Lean: Mavericks +1.5 (contingent on Cooper Flagg playing)
Lean: Under 239.5

If Cooper Flagg is active, Dallas has the frontcourt scoring and defensive versatility to stay inside this number. Anthony Davis has stabilized the paint on both ends, and P.J. Washington’s rebounding and switching on the perimeter matter against a Pelicans team that still struggles to string together clean half-court possessions.

Despite the four-game win streak, New Orleans remains one of the league’s poorest defensive teams by rating, and that structural issue hasn’t vanished. When the Pelicans can’t live off transition bursts or early shot-clock chaos, their defense is still vulnerable — particularly against frontcourts that can score without relying on pace.

The under case starts with pace. Dallas is top five in fewest possessions per game this season. New Orleans, meanwhile, sits closer to league average in pace and has relied on early-clock bursts rather than sustained speed. If Dallas avoids live-ball turnovers, this game is far more likely to settle than sprint.

More importantly, Dallas has quietly been one of the better defensive teams in the league by rating, ranking inside the top ten on the season. That defensive competence shows up most clearly when games slow—Dallas is comfortable switching, protecting the paint, and forcing opponents into late-clock decisions. New Orleans’ offensive surges have come when games stay chaotic; when possessions stack and reads matter, their efficiency drops.

At 239.5, the total is priced in a full-speed game with clean scoring on both sides. That’s a fragile assumption. If Dallas controls pace even modestly and the game trends toward half-court basketball after the opening stretch, the under becomes far more viable than the number suggests.

Player Props​

Naji Marshall over 14.5 points (-107)
Marshall’s role has quietly expanded over the last four games, starting in place of Max Christie — a look Jason Kidd appears comfortable with. The minutes have followed. Marshall has played 32+ minutes in six of his last seven, and the scoring has come organically: 22, 16, 15, and 17 points in his last four contests—in fact, you have to go back to the Denver game to find him under this total. He’s not shot-hunting, but he’s consistently getting downhill, drawing fouls, and finishing efficiently around the rim. Against a Pelicans defense that still struggles to contain secondary scorers, this line feels a step behind his current usage.

Derik Queen over 25.5 PRA (-107)
Queen has been one of New Orleans’ most reliable interior engines over the past two weeks, and the production has been steady rather than matchup-dependent. He’s averaging 15.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in December, with multiple games clearing this PRA number comfortably. He also posted a strong all-around line in Dallas earlier this season, and his minutes have remained secure even as the Pelicans shuffle lineups. With Dallas likely prioritizing Zion’s drives and Murphy’s perimeter shooting, Queen should continue to find space to accumulate across all three categories.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...mbets-can-the-mavs-slow-the-pelicans-momentum

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMBets Game of the Week: Playing ball with the Joker

Welcome back to MMBets, a series where apparently we’re going to find out how much hypothetical cash Tyler can burn through during an 82-game NBA season. Today’s clash between the Denver Nuggets and the Dallas Mavericks will be the the next installment in our Game of the Week series. Before we get into the handicap, lets go over the results from last week.

Last week’s results​

David: 2-2 (-$13)

Tyler: 0-4 (-$400)

Once again, my sincerest apologies go out to anyone who is ridiculous enough to tail me after the year I’ve had. In fairness, Cade Cunningham was one assist away from cashing a triple double for me at +1000, so I really wasn’t that far off. But still, this is unacceptable.

Overall​

David: 16-15 (+$249)

Tyler: 11-21 (-$936)

Overall: 27-36 (-$687)

In the words of the great philosopher Stephen A. Smith: “This is bad. This is very, very bad.”

With that out of the way, let’s get to this week’s cap.

Game intangibles​

Denver Nuggets (21-7) vs Dallas Mavericks (11-19)

Tipoff: 7:00p from the American Airlines Center

How to watch: NBC and Peacock

Game odds as of 12:00p​

Odds provided by the Fanduel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Wager Responsibly!​

Spread: Denver -6.5

Over/Under: 235.5

Moneyline: Dallas is +215 to pull off the upset

David’s picks​

• Over 235.5 points (-110)

• Jamal Murray to score 25+ points (-115)

• Anthony Davis to score 25+ points (+108)

• Tim Hardaway Jr. over 2.5 made three pointers (+130)

Tyler’s picks​

• Denver Nuggets -6.5 (-114)

• Nikola Jokic over 12.5 rebounds (-114)

• Jamal Murray to score 10+ first quarter points (+178)

• PJ Washington over 14.5 points (+102)

Again, please do not tail me. When you are on an all-time cold streak such as myself, you do not try to jump on that train. I will figure it out eventually if it is the last thing I do for this site!

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...mavericks-fanduel-betting-preview-december-23

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Player Grades: Recapping the Mavericks’ 131-130 win over the Nuggets

The Dallas Mavericks (12-18) were on the second night of a back-to-back, looking for a win against the Denver Nuggets (21-8) on Tuesday at American Airlines Center. After letting one slip away against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, Dallas locked in to get the 131-130 win against one of the best teams in the Western Conference.

Let’s get to the grades!

Jaden Hardy: B+​

10 PTS / 2 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN​

For a guy with such a fluctuating role, Hardy did well in his first start of the season against Denver. Despite going 0-for-3 from deep, he was 5-for-9 overall. Hardy gets a small bump automatically for taking a charge as well.

Ryan Nembhard: B+​

11 PTS / 3 REB / 7 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 33 MIN​

Nembhard had a much better game than he did in Monday’s loss to the Pels, but that’s not saying much considering how poorly he played against New Orleans. He took good care of the ball (one turnover) against the Nuggets and was quietly effective, shooting 5-for-11. Nembhard’s airball with eight seconds remaining almost cost the Mavs the game on one end, but in his defense, he got a hot potato pass and was forced to put one up quickly in the Mavs’ final possession; plus, a single play doesn’t negate a bounce-back effort. He was a plus-24, more than doubling the next closest Maverick in that department.

Naji Marshall: B+​

15 PTS / 4 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 32 MIN​

Marshall continues to be consistent and steady night in and night out. He continued his hot shooting, going 6-for-11 from the field, including a huge 3-ball with a minute and a half remaining in the game.

Cooper Flagg: A+​

33 PTS / 9 REB / 9 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK – 40 MIN​

Flagg was a juggernaut all night and made some big clutch plays, including a 3-pointer and beautiful flip shot off some fancy footwork during the final five minutes, before finding Naji Marshall on a cross-court pass for a crucial 3-pointer. He hit 14-for-21 from the floor, including 4-for-6 from deep. He had an awesome game in all respects.

Anthony Davis: A​

31 PTS / 9 REB / 4 AST / 3 STL / 0 BLK – 36 MIN​

Davis has now put together very nice games on back-to-back nights. It makes one wonder why this level of engagement isn’t a nightly occurrence, but that’s a discussion for another day. On Tuesday, Davis was hitting shots, following misses and crashing the boards. He basically did it all, with few flaws to speak of. He and Flagg were a terrifying duo and put on an absolute show for the nationally televised game.

Caleb Martin: B+​

9 PTS / 4 REB / 3 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN​

It’s nice to have a reason to include Martin in a Grades post, for once. His two turnovers were one too many, but that’s about all to complain about. Martin had a nice game, chipping in on just about every statistical category, and hit 4-for-6 from the floor. He also had some nice intangibles on the defensive end, including a never-give-up full-court sprint to alter a Nuggets 3-point attempt.

Final Thoughts​

This was a game with some big swings in scoring. Dallas came out smoking hot in the first quarter, then both teams tightened things up in the second. The Mavericks got run out of the building, the city, the county and the state in the third quarter, yielding 47 points to the Nuggets as they displayed every possible way to not cover the 3-point shot. All that set up a tie game going into the fourth. Fortunately, the Mavs got themselves an early Christmas present win in a fourth-quarter grinder. Ironically, Nuggets wing Peyton Watson missed a wide open three-point attempt at the buzzer, after the Nuggets hit 20 of their first 40 attempts from deep.

There was a bit of good fortune in this one, but getting a win against a team that has been as good on the road as the Nuggets (11 straight wins) is something to feel good about.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...ades-recap-131-130-cooper-flagg-anthony-davis

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Stats Rundown: 8 numbers to know from the Mavericks’ 131-130 win over the Denver Nuggets

Cooper Flagg cemented himself as the Dallas Mavericks’ (12-18) fearless leader on Tuesday night in a 131-130 win over the Denver Nuggets (21-8) at American Airlines Center. After sprinting out to a 21-point lead early in the second quarter, the Mavs let the Nuggets creep back into the game in the second and third quarters, but Dallas had enough in the tank to stave off a furious Nuggets’ comeback attempt in what turned into a back-and-forth final quarter.

Payton Watson had an open baseline 3-pointer at the fourth-quarter buzzer, but it rattled in and out, and the Mavericks’ gamble to keep the ball out of the hands of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray paid off.

That was an incredibly gutty win behind yet another stellar performance from Flagg, who is playing like a hardened veteran two days after his 19th birthday. Flagg led all scorers with 33 points and came up just a rebound and an assist shy of the first triple-double of his career in the win. Anthony Davis contributed 31 points on 12-of-19 shooting and nine boards. Naji Marshall chipped in 15 as well.

Jokic and Murray scored 31 and 29 and paired their scoring with 14 assists apiece in the loss. The Mavs turned the ball over just 10 times, which is always a good sign for this team. Here are a whopping eight more stats from a whopper of a win, Dallas’ second straight against one of the best teams in the West.

20-4: Mavericks’ early first-quarter run​

After Anthony Davis’ alley-oop finish from Ryan Nembhard to open the game and Spencer Jones’ jumper in response, the Mavericks launched into a 12-0 run over the next 2:40 to take a 14-2 early lead. Davis scored two more buckets, including another dunk on a nice find from Naji Marshall, during the run. The Mavericks forced four Denver turnovers in the game’s first four minutes after the Nuggets came in averaging just 13.3 giveaways per game, good for third best in the NBA.

Davis’ third dunk of the first quarter, this time on a clever find from Cooper Flagg on a pick-and-roll slip, gave the Mavs a 16-4 lead with 7:47 left in the first quarter. Davis was active early on a night when the back court was banged up, forcing the seldom-used Jaden Hardy into his first start of the season against Denver. Hardy Scored his first bucket of the game on a runner in the lane before Marshall joined the party midway through the first on a cutting bucket inside to extend the Dallas lead to 22-6 midway through the opener.

The Nuggets decided to double-team Davis after his hot start to the game, which opened up driving and cutting lanes for the rest of the Mavs’ offense. After the Nuggets halted what became a 19-4 Mavs run, even D’Angelo Russell joined the scoring party, hitting his first 3-point attempt of the game with 3:55 left in the first to extend Dallas’ lead to 29-13.

The Nuggets responded with a 14-2 run of their own later in the quarter to briefly cut the Mavericks’ lead to six, but Dallas scored the last eight points of the first to take a 41-27 lead after one. Dallas shot 18-of-25 (72%) from the field in the first quarter.

7-of-7: Cooper Flagg’s shooting start​

Flagg made his first five buckets of the game before cashing in on his first 3-pointer of the game with 29 seconds remaining in the first quarter. He poured it in from near the top of the key on Russell’s third assist of the first quarter to turn the tide after Denver’s 14-2 scoring spurt. Nembhard connected on his first 3-ball of the game the next time down to extend the Dallas lead back to 14 points, up 41-27, in the final seconds of the first.

The Mavericks shot 3-of-6 from distance in the opening frame, and Flagg led all scorers with 14 points after one. He found Daniel Gafford for an athletic alley-oop slam as the Denver defense collapsed on Flagg as he drove to the basket on the Mavericks’ first possession of the second quarter, his third assist of the game. Two possessions later, Flagg hit his second 3-pointer of the game from three feet behind the top of the key to give Dallas even more cushion on the scoreboard, up 48-29, less than two minutes into the second quarter.

Flagg was, as they say, on one early against the Nugs. He finally missed his first shot with 8:40 left in the second on a pull-up jumper that you’d want him to shoot every time it’s available. Without P.J. Washington (foot), Klay Thompson (knee) and Max Christie (illness) in the lineup against the Nuggets, the Mavs offense flowed through Flagg early and often, which is the way it needs to be every night. Flagg scored 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting in the first half, grabbed four rebounds and dished four assists on his way to a XXXXXXX.

But he didn’t just get it done on the offensive end. Flagg blocked an alley-oop dunk attempt from Spencer Jones three minutes into the game and forced a transition miss as the last defender back late in the second quarter by going straight up in the air on what otherwise would have been an easy make as Denver had cut the Mavs’ lead to single digits as the second quarter wore on.

14: Second-quarter points for Jamal Murray​

Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray scored 20 points of his own in the first half, on 5-of-6 shooting in the second quarter. He briefly cut the Mavs’ lead to seven, 63-56, with less than a minute left in the second on his second 3-point make of the game. He overtook Flagg for high-point man in the game with that stroke, but Flagg rose up for his third of the game the next time down to give Dallas back a 10-point lead, 66-56, at the break.

Flagg’s three 3-pointers in the first half matched his season- and career-high mark for a single game, and we still had an entire half to play. God help the rest of the NBA if Flagg ever becomes a bonafide 3-point shooter in this league. He’s got plenty of time to develop his outside shot, as he just turned 19 on Sunday.

But we were talking about Murray, weren’t we? His second-quarter explosion brought haunting flashbacks from his 45-point night against the Mavericks last season, in a 118-99 beatdown in January.

8: Third-quarter assists from Nikola Jokic​

Murray and Nikola Jokic dominated play coming out of halftime, as the Nuggets doubled the Mavs up, 20-10 in the first 5:20 after halftime. Jokic recorded five assists, and Murray dished two more in that span, which saw the Nuggets tie the game, 76-76, on Cam Johnson’s first 3-pointer of the game. Jokic sucked in the Dallas defense then kicked it out for his ninth assist of the game on the play.

Jokic scored 10 points in the third to go along with eight assists and four rebounds in the frame. His eight assists were the second-most in any quarter in Jokic’s career.

15-0: Dallas’ third-quarter run​

COOPER FREAKING FLAGG!! HUGE SLAM!!!! pic.twitter.com/VKUTNDnwrB

— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) December 24, 2025

But the Mavs, behind another burst from Flagg, showed some chutzpah in response to Denver’s body blows out of halftime. Flagg scored sis more points, to give him 28 for the game, during a 15-0 run that gave the Mavs some breathing room once again, up 91-76 after a three-point play from Martin with four minutes left in the third.

Dallas could have folded as the Denver onslaught crashed down upon them after halftime, but they didn’t. They were never going to blow the Nuggets out, but through three quarters at least, they were able to absorb the Denver run and punch back when an opportunity presented itself.

27-12: Denver’s scoring flurry to finish the third quarter​

The only problem with trading blows with a team like the Nuggets is that there’s always another one coming. The Nuggets outscored the Mavs 27-12 in the final four minutes of the third after that 15-0 Dallas run. Jokic was making every play on the floor to bring Denver all the way back.

He scored or assisted on four of the last five Nuggets’ baskets of the third to close the gap entirely. Jokic found Bruce Brown with a look-away pass under the basket with just five ticks left on the clock to tie the game, 103-103, heading into the fourth.

On the other end of the floor, the Nuggets began sending double-teams Flagg’s way to get the ball out of his hands early in the shot clock. The rest of the Dallas offense sputtered a little without its number one option scoring at will, as Flagg did in the first half.

4: Cooper Flagg 3-pointers​

As Flagg crept closer and closer to the first triple-double of his career, he crossed another item off the statistical list late in the fourth quarter. He nailed his fourth 3-pointer of the game with 3:17 left to play on a kick-out pass from Davis, to give the Mavs a 126-121 lead. He hit three 3-pointers on Nov. 12 in a 123-114 loss to the Phoenix Suns, but his fourth against the Nuggets set a new career-high mark.

Flagg drove for a floater to give him 33 points on the night the next time down the floor and keep the Mavericks ahead, 128-123. A minute later, he sent a skip pass to Marshall, who was waiting in the corner for his first 3-pointer of the game, to make it 131-125. He was everywhere on Tuesday on a night when the Mavs needed everything Flagg could give them.

“Just coming together, trying to have each other’s back,” Cooper Flagg said in his televised postgame interview. “We’re learning. We’ve been in a lot of close games, so just trying to learn from it and get better.”

23: Points from former Maverick Tim Hardaway Jr.​

Tim Hardaway Jr. hit seven 3-pointers of his own in the loss, scoring all 23 of his points in the first three quarters. The last time Hardaway hit seven 3-pointers in American Airlines Center was in January 2024, when both he and Kyrie Irving eclipsed the 40-point mark in a 125-120 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Nuggets have been leaning on Hardaway’s scoring off the bench a little more lately, after Christian Braun’s recent ankle injury. His final 3-ball of the game on Tuesday came with 2:14 left in the third and pulled the Nuggets to within 100-90.

He did not score in the fourth quarter, even after a late third-quarter knee injury suffered by Johnson.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...uggets-cooper-flagg-nikola-jokic-jamal-murray

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Three reasons you should bully your family into watching the Mavericks battle the Warriors on Christmas Day

Fresh off of an exhilarating 131-130 home win over the Denver Nuggets, your Dallas Mavericks (12-19, 11th in the Western Conference) are back on the road to face off with the Golden State Warriors (15-15, 8th in the Western Conference). The Mavericks were led by their rookie sensation yet again in the win against Denver, as Cooper Flagg flirted with being the youngest player in NBA history to drop a triple double. Instead, the 33 points, nine rebounds and nine assists had to do. Anthony Davis also contributed to the cause, dropping 31 points.

The Warriors, meanwhile, were last seen beating the Orlando Magic at home, 120-97. That game still featured a fair amount of drama, as Draymond Green once again was involved in some self-inflicted nonsense by removing himself from the team in the middle of the game? Or maybe Steve Kerr told him to hit the showers early? Either way, vibes are awfully unsettled in The Bay.

Draymond went to the locker room after an apparent argument with Steve Kerr

He did not play the final 20 minutes of the game

(via @shubhydoo) pic.twitter.com/HF1PywQ2mV

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 23, 2025

What are some reasons to stream this game from your phone at the Christmas gathering? Let’s spread some holiday cheer by getting you ready for Cooper Flagg’s Christmas christening.

Roadblock​

The Mavericks have not won a road game since December 1st, when they also beat the Denver Nuggets. Having won just three of their thirteen games on the road this season, the Mavericks will be up against it against the Warriors, who have won nine of thirteen at home in this 2025-26 campaign. Will these teams simply hold true to form? Or is there something here that could swing the game in Dallas’ direction.

The biggest gift is already here​

Most of us spend the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas just trying to survive. Not Cooper Flagg! Since the November 29th game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Cooper Flagg is averaging 25.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.1 steals + blocks per game. Keep in mind, he only played his first game as a nineteen-year-old on Tuesday against the Nuggets, where again, he put up 33 points, nine boards, nine assists and two stocks. Folks, this is not normal! The level of shot making and finishing that he is showing is stuff we didn’t expect to see until year three. It’s all happened within the first 30 games of his career!

When he gets the three-pointer sorted out next year… You’re all in big trouble.

Splash Bros, reunited again​

It is fitting that this holiday season, we get to see Steph Curry and Klay Thompson share a court once again. Both Curry and Thompson have rounded into their usual form as of late, which means we should be in for a Christmas treat. As the trade deadline nears and this Mavericks team floats around the fringes of play-in territory, Thompson could end up on a real contender that needs one of the best shooters in league history. It’s important to cherish these moments.

How to watch​

This is an ABC and ESPN exclusive, with tipoff scheduled for just after 4:00p CT from the Chase Center in San Francisco.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...review-cooper-flagg-anthony-davis-steph-curry

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs Warriors Preview and Injury Update: Christmas basketball

The Dallas Mavericks (12-19) visit the Golden State Warriors (15-15) for the midday game during ABC’s day-long Christmas slate of games. Dallas won a thriller against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night. The Warriors have had two days off after beating the Orlando Magic on Monday night.

Heres the main things you need to know before tipoff.

• WHO: Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors
• WHAT: Christmas Day Basketball
• WHERE: Chase Center, San Francisco, California
• WHEN: 4:00 p.m. CST
• HOW: ABC

The Mavericks have a better injury report than we’ve been accustomed to. A lot of guys are listed as probable, and the only real question mark at the moment is PJ Washington Of course, the guys out for the season are still out, but you knew that already. Seth Curry is out for this one. Al Horford is listed as probable.

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The line for this game is high, 7.5 points in favor of the Warriors. I’m not sure what justifies that line, Dallas has played everyone well for 3 weeks. At some point the public needs to catch up with how well the Mavericks are playing. Should be a fun game no matter what.

Thanks for spending part of your Christmas here with Mavs Moneyball.

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!

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

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Player Grades: Mavericks lose to the Golden State Warriors 126-116

The Dallas Mavericks continue to be one of the most inconsistent teams in the league, losing an incredibly frustrating game to the Warriors. This performance comes just two nights after a statement victory over the Denver Nuggets. While the loss certainly stings, the main story leaving this game is the injury that Anthony Davis suffered in the 2nd quarter . With all that being said, let’s get into the grades.

Cooper Flagg: A​

27 PTS / 6 REB / 5 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 36 MIN​

Another night, another 25 point performance from Cooper Flagg, though it was not enough to propel the Mavericks to a win. While Cooper is receiving heaps of praise for his play, I don’t think that people quite understand how special Cooper has been playing. The simple truth is that Flagg is already a top 25 player in Basketball, and he will only keep getting better.

Anthony Davis: F​

4 PTS / 3 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 2 BLK – 11 MIN​

If there was any real opposition to trading Anthony Davis, this game should have silenced those laughable arguments. Davis left this game midway through the second quarter with a groin injury, and did not return to action, out of an abundance of caution. While this grade could seem unfair, AD is the most unreliable “superstar” in the NBA, and today’s disaster only proves it.

Brandon Williams: A​

26 PTS / 3 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 3o MIN​

Brandon Williams is a very limited player, as the lack of shooting and passing can often hold him back. But this game showed his one elite skill: Speed. While the Warriors do have big defensive wings, they lack truly elite defenders for uber quick guards such as Williams.

Max Christie: B+​

13 PTS / 6 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK -34 MIN​

Another day, another solid performance from Max Christie. While this game was nothing special, as he was relatively uninvolved, his consistent offensive production still remains crucial for this team. My overarching takeaway is that the Mavericks must work harder to generate more 3 point looks for Christie.

Klay Thompson: C-​

7 PTS / 2 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK – 26 MIN​

In his return to the bay, Klay had a forgettable night. This especially hurt in a game where the Mavericks desperately needed more shooting, as they only attempted 14 threes. While Klay might not be on the team much longer, they will need him to be better right now.

Daniel Gafford: D​

6 PTS / 5 REB / 0 AST / 0 BLK / 0 STL – 15 MIN​

Coming into this season, many would have assumed the center position would be the strength of this Mavericks team. But 2 months in, it has become a weakness, in large part due to Daniel Gafford’s struggles. Whether injury or effort is the issue, this level of play is simply unacceptable, as Gafford has been a non factor in almost every phase of the game this season.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...cks-lose-to-the-golden-state-warriors-126-116

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Stats Rundown: 6 numbers to know from the Mavericks’ 126-116 loss at the Golden State Warriors

The Dallas Mavericks (12-20) faked a comeback and faded down the stretch of a 126-116 loss to the Golden State Warriors (16-15) at the Chase Center on Thursday, leaving fans with a lump of coal in their stocking this Christmas.

The consolation prize was another stellar performance by rookie sensation Cooper Flagg, who scored 27 points on 13-of-21 shooting, grabbed six rebounds and dished five assists in the loss. Brandon Williams added 26 points off the bench, pouring in 18 of his in the second half.

Steph Curry shrugged off a 2-of-10 night from 3-point land to lead the Warriors with 23 points in the win. Seven Warriors scored in double figures against the Mavericks on a night when Golden State went frigid from 3-point range in the second half (3-of-23, 13%).

Here are six more stats that tell the tale of the Mavs’ latest lackluster loss.

2: Cooper Flagg’s first-quarter shot attempts​

He just turned 19. Latitude needs to be extended to Flagg as he continues to grow into his NBA shoes, of course. But under no circumstances should any player coming off a 33-point, nine-rebound, nine-assist supernova game be shoved into a box to start the following game. Too many times, especially on nights when other parts of the offense have gotten off to a slow start, Flagg has drifted off into the corner and his teammates seem to have forgotten about him.

Flagg needs to be more assertive at the start of games, and that will come as he continues to develop more and more feel for life in the NBA, but it’s not all on him, either. Head coach Jason Kidd needs to stress Flagg’s importance to a greater degree than we’ve seen thus far. His teammates need to seek him out. They still seem surprised every time he does something that hasn’t been done by someone his age since LeBron James. At some point, hopefully sooner than later, the shock of his sudden ascendancy will wear off, and they will simply defer to Flagg as he puts more and more skins on the wall.

Flagg’s only bucket of the first quarter came when the game was just 1:20 old, on a driving bucket assisted by Ryan Nembhard. He didn’t get up a shot in the first quarter’s final 8:11. He got lost in the shuffle, and the Warriors started to pull away as the quarter wore on, taking a 40-28 lead after one.

He would rectify the situation in the final three quarters, though.

12: First-quarter scoring from Al Horford​

Al Horford, the ageless wonder, came in midway through the first quarter and poured in four 3-pointers off the bench after Golden State started the game 0-for-6 from 3-point range. The 39-year-old was wide open along the perimeter on all four of those makes.

Horford’s first 3-pointer put the Warriors up 25-20 with 3:43 left in the first. His third and fourth both came in the last 33 seconds of the opening frame as the Warriors flawlessly executed the 2-for-1 sequence to end the first quarter.

The Warriors attempted 14 deep balls in the first quarter, while the Mavs shot just two. Horford scored just two more points in the win, finishing the game with 14.

10: Cooper Flagg’s scoring in final 6:53 of the first half​

Flagg was held scoreless for an unforgivably long stretch of 15:47 of game time until he came alive midway through the second quarter. He scored 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting in the final 6:53 of the first half to keep the Mavericks within shouting distance as the rest of the Dallas offense was on life support.

Anthony Davis, who was just 1-of-4 from the field and 1-of-4 from the free-throw line to that point, left the game after coming up lame in transition with 8:50 left in the second quarter. As he watched an outlet pass from Naji Marshall sail over his head and out of bounds, Davis headed straight for the bench and retreated to the locker room minutes later. It appeared to be an injury to the right groin.

Eight of Flagg’s 10 points in the second quarter came in the last 3:09 of the frame. He scored tough buckets on three straight possessions to keep the Mavs within a single-digit margin, but Golden State extended its lead to 13 late in the second and took a 71-58 lead into the break.

Even ESPN’s Charles Barkley, who was high on the Mavericks this preseason, seems to be getting the picture.

Charles Barkley said Anthony Davis “is never going to be healthy.”

He followed that up by saying it’s Cooper Flagg’s team. “I would move on. …. This experiment is over.” pic.twitter.com/DIGCRVFB1d

— Ron Harrod Jr. (@RonKnowsSports) December 25, 2025

“Anthony Davis is never going to be healthy,” Barkley said in his halftime analysis. “This is Cooper Flagg’s team. I would move on … the experiment is over.”

3-of-23: Warriors’ second-half 3-point shooting​

The Warriors shot 11-of-27 (40.7%) from 3-point range in the first half to fuel their 13-point lead at the break. They went into the freezer from deep for the first 20 minutes of the second half, though, making just one of their next 19 from deep. They ended up shooting 3-of-23 from 3-point land in the second half and 14-of-50 (28%) for the game.

Still, the Mavericks couldn’t manufacture any kind of meaningful comeback against Golden State. Dallas worked the lead down to five on a driving reverse layup from Brandon Williams with 6:48 left to play, but the Warriors always had a response. Curry missed his next 3-ball with 4:44 left on the clock and the Warriors nursing a 108-102 lead, to make him 1-of-9 on the evening. He cashed in his next one, though, a minute later, to extend the Golden State lead back to 11 points, 115-104.

Williams scored 11 points off the bench in the third quarter, when Flagg needed a running mate, and fed Flagg for an alley-oop in transition with 3:02 left in the game to bring the Mavs to within 115-106, but nine points in three minutes would prove to be too tall a hill for these Mavericks to climb.

27: Cooper Flagg’s impressive Christmas Day scoring total​

Flagg scored 25 of his game-high 27 points in the final three quarters of the game in yet another game that saw him do something that hasn’t been done since James did it in his rookie year. Flagg became just the second teenager ever to score 25 or more points on Christmas Day. James scored 34 points on Christmas 2003 in a 113-101 overtime loss to the Orlando Magic.

Flagg also became the first rookie to score 25 points, grab five rebounds and dish five assists in a Christmas Day game since Pistol Pete Maravich did it in 1970. He finished with six boards and five dimes in the loss at the Warriors.

He is the future and the future is now for the Mavericks. It’s time for this franchise to plant both feet firmly in the Cooper Flagg Era of Mavericks basketball. Flagg has now made 27-of-42 (64.3%) field goal attempts in his last two games.

5: Mavericks’ current road losing streak​

Another statistical oddity presented itself in the Mavericks’ loss to the Warriors. The team has now lost five straight on the road but won its last five at home. This team is an unsolvable riddle, and one that many fans have already given up on figuring out.

Dallas will have a chance to snap its current five-game road losing streak on Saturday, when they square off with the Kings at the Golden 1 Center.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...-score-cooper-flagg-anthony-davis-steph-curry

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs. Kings Preview: 3 concerns as Dallas tries to end five-game road skid at Sacramento

All of a sudden, the Dallas Mavericks (12-20) are stuck again in the Western Conference mud. They’re also mired in a five-game road losing streak as an opportunity to extricate themselves appears on Saturday, when they meet the Sacramento Kings (7-23) at the Golden 1 Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. CDT.

Dallas comes into the matchup losers of four of their last six, after crumbling on Christmas Day, 126-116 at the Golden State Warriors. The Kings, who sit in last place in the West at the moment, are even worse for the wear lately, having dropped six of their last seven, including Tuesday’s 136-127 home loss to the Detroit Pistons.

The Kings have been trying to make things work behind forward DeMar DeRozan (19.0 points per game) and guards Russell Westbrook (14.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 7.2 assists per game) and Malik Monk (12.4 points per game) while facing a litany of injury setbacks that would make even the Mavericks blush.

Injury concerns​

Let’s start there, as both teams’ lineups have been recently affected by injury. Domantas Sabonis will not play for the Kings with ongoing knee issues. He will reportedly be reevaluated in late January after playing in just 10 games so far this season. Zach LaVine is also out with an ankle injury he suffered on Dec. 14 in a 117-103 loss at the Minnesota Timberwolves. Keegan Murray is considered day-to-day with a calf injury he sustained in Tuesday’s loss to the Pistons.

Expect Monk and Precious Achiuwa to slide into the starting lineup for LaVine and Murray, if Murray is unable to go in this one. Rookie Maxime Raynaud has been filling in capably for Sabonis across the last month or so at center after the Kings selected him 42nd overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.

The Mavs will be without the usual suspects once again, but the most recent and pressing injury concern for Dallas is that surrounding Anthony Davis. He is listed as questionable as of Friday’s 6:30 p.m. NBA injury report with right adductor soreness after the team first called the injury “groin spasms” the night it occurred, and reports on Friday have not been especially encouraging. Davis came up lame early in the second quarter of Thursday’s loss to Golden State on a non-contact play, while simply running after a pass in transition from Naji Marshall.

Remember, Mavs fans all had to learn what an adductor was when Davis suffered a similar groin injury in the third quarter of his first game as a Maverick in February. Davis has suffered recurring groin injuries throughout his 12-plus-year NBA career. ESPN and The Athletic both reported on Friday that Davis is likely to miss Saturday’s game in Sacramento, but that this groin injury is not likely to keep him out long term.

Davis has missed 14 games this year with a calf injury and a couple more while he worked his way back from that injury. Dallas is 4-12 this season without Davis in the lineup. Brandon Williams is listed as doubtful for the Kings game with a calf contusion after pouring in 26 points off the bench in Thursday’s loss.

Even without Davis and Williams, the date with the Kings is an opportunity to bounce back and end the Mavericks’ current five-game road losing streak. Rookie supernova Cooper Flagg took over the Mavs’ offense in Davis’ absence on Thursday, getting off 18 of his 21 shot attempts in the minutes after Davis exited the game.

Shooting concerns​

For almost a month there, it looked like the Mavericks were creeping closer and closer toward becoming a league-average 3-point shooting team, which, as everyone except the brilliant architects behind this Dallas roster knows, is an essential skill in today’s NBA. But the team is regressing from the outside in its last 10 games, averaging a league-worst 9.1 makes per game from 3-point range in that span.

Sacramento is just two spots higher than the Mavs, averaging a paltry 9.5 makes from 3-point land in their last 10 games, so Dallas’ lack of shooting may not be the death sentence against the Kings that it was on Thursday against the Warriors. The Mavs shot just 4-of-14 (29%) from deep on Christmas, and Golden State was just as bad, but they at least heaved enough of them (14-of-50, 28%) to kill the Mavs with math.

Sacramento doesn’t appear to be the kind of team that can kill the Mavericks with 3-point triangulation, but the regression back to a league-worst shooting team is a concerning development, nonetheless, for anyone still watching this team.

Defensive concerns?​

Don’t look now, but in the same 10-game span, the Mavericks’ stalwart defense has been a little less dependable, too. For much of the season, Dallas has held a top-10 defensive rating. But in their last 10 games, the Mavs’ 116.5 rating is just 19th in the NBA.

Buckets have come more easily against the Mavericks as their schedule has gotten tougher. They gave up 130 and 121 in two wins over the Denver Nuggets, 131 in a loss at the Oklahoma City Thunder, 121 in a loss at the Philadelphia 76ers and 119 more in Monday’s loss at the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s, again, not something you’d think the lowly Kings would be great at exploiting without Sabonis and LaVine at their disposal, but if they’re throwing up brick after brick from the outside at the same time, anything can happen — just like we saw in New Orleans.

You know what no one’s concerned about, though? The development of rookie supernova Cooper Flagg, who has made 27 of his 42 shot attempts in his last two games, when he scored 33 and 27 points. He should be off the leash at Sacramento, especially if Davis can’t go. With the Kings’ own defensive struggles (28th in defensive rating, 119.4), Flagg may fly into another huge game on Saturday, not even a week after turning 19 years old.

How to watch​

The Mavericks and the Kings will tip off at 4 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be broadcast locally on KFAA Channel 29 as well as on regional stations throughout the Mavs’ viewership area, and also on NBA TV. It will be streamed on MavsTV.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...-anthony-davis-demar-derozan-domantas-sabonis

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs Kings Preview and Injury Update: Second to last game of the calendar year

The Dallas Mavericks (12-20) visit the Sacramento Kings (7-23) in a match up of two teams going no where fast. Dallas lost on Christmas Day to the Golden State Warriors. The Kings have had several days off following a barn burning loss to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. Here are the main things to know

Heres the main things you need to know before tipoff.

• WHO: Dallas Mavericks at Sacramento Kings
• WHAT: Saturday sad basketball
• WHERE: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
• WHEN: 4:00 p.m. CST
• HOW: NBAtv, KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV streaming, NBA League Pass

The Mavericks will be without the usual slate: Kyrie Irving, Dante Exum, and Dereck Lively. Anthony Davis entered the game with a questionable tag, but he’s officially missing the game. Brandon Williams will also be missing this contest with a left calf issue. The Kings also have quite a lengthy injury report. Drew Eubanks and Domantas Sabonis are missing extended periods of time due to injury. Zach Lavine has an ankle sprain and will miss the game. Keegan Murray is also out with a calf strain. This may be a very Russell Westbrook game for the Kings.

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Dallas is a slight favorite, which tracks given how bad the Kings are. But they’ve still won seven games, not zero, so Dallas should come prepared for a fight and try to put the Kings away. DeMar Derozan is an Against the Mavs All Star. Russell Westrbook never quits. Cooper Flagg should be the centerpiece of the offense with no Anthony Davis to feed. As always, expect a fun game, because these Mavericks play hard. But it might also be an ugly game. These two teams just aren’t very well put together.

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!

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

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Stats Recap: 3 numbers from Mavericks stinky 113-107 loss to Kings

The Mavericks lost a shocking gross game to the Kings on Saturday afternoon, 113-107 in Sacramento. Cooper Flagg led the Mavs with 23 points, six rebounds, and five assists. The Mavs had five guys finish in double figures, with PJ Washington finishing with 17 points, Klay finishing with 14 points, and Daniel Gafford and Naji Marshall finishing with 11 points each. The Kings won the game on the backs of Russell Westbrook and Keon Ellis, who each scored 21 points apiece. Maxime Raymond had 19 points to go along with six rebounds, as he dominated the Mavericks’ front court the entire day.

Dallas fell behind early in the first half as Sacramento controlled the opening quarter, led by Russell Westbrook, who led all players with 12 points and set the tone as the primary playmaker. Daniel Gafford was Dallas’ most effective scorer in the Dallas quarter, providing interior finishes and leading the team in points early, but perimeter shooting and turnovers stalled momentum. The second quarter saw Sacramento extend the lead through balance and efficiency, with Makur Raynaud emerging as the Kings’ leading rebounder and paint Kings during the period. At the same time, Westbrook continued to lead all players in assists. For Dallas, P.J. Washington paced the Mavericks in second-quarter scoring with aggressive drives and trips to the free throw line, yet defensive breakdowns and second-chance points allowed Sacramento to carry a 59-44 advantage into halftime.

The Mavericks showed more fight in the second half, beginning with a third-quarter push led by Cooper Flagg, who was Dallas’ leading scorer in the period behind confident three-point shooting and downhill attacks. P.J. Washington anchored the defense in the third, leading the team in rebounds and blocks. Still, Sacramento consistently answered as Keegan Ellis led all players in third-quarter scoring with multiple threes while Westbrook remained the game’s overall scoring leader. In the fourth quarter, Dallas received a scoring boost from Jaden Hardy, who led the Mavericks in points during the final frame, while Flagg continued to contribute across the box score. Still, Sacramento’s depth proved decisive, with Ellis and Dennis Schröder leading the Kings in fourth-quarter scoring and Precious Achiuwa controlling the glass late. Despite improved effort after halftime, Dallas never fully closed the gap, as Sacramento’s early dominance and steady second-half execution secured the win, 113-107. Let’s get into the numbers

21: Mavericks turnovers​

The cause of death for the Mavericks tonight was their turnovers, especially in the first quarter. During the opening period, the Mavs committed six turnovers, including four during the Kings’ dominant 22-3 run, giving the Kings a 27-12 lead. The kings maintained a double-digit lead for basically the rest of the game until the end of the fourth quarter. 14 of the Mavericks’ turnovers came from the starting group, including five from Cooper Flagg and three from Max Christie, both of whom are among the team’s primary ball handlers. Empty possessions, especially down the stretch, not only lost the Mavs this game, but have been a common theme when the Mavs have lost to one of these worse teams early. The King scored 28 points off the Mavericks 21 turnovers. That was the game.

21: Cooper Flagg 2nd half points​

Cooper Flagg had one of the shakier games of his pro career and yet still managed to hit his averages of the month thanks to a monster second half. After getting held to two points on only two free throws and 0-for-3 from the floor, Flagg made it his personal mission out of halftime to get the Mavs back into the game. Coming out of the half, Flagg exploded, knocking down three 3-pointers, attacking the rim for two layups, and adding two free throws, accounting for the majority of Dallas’s offensive production during its early third-quarter push. Flagg continued his dominant month of December, where he has been averaging around 24.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.3 BPG, and 1.0 SPG, highlighted by a historic 33-point, 9-rebound, 9-assist near triple-double against Denver on Dec. 23, and a 27-point Christmas Day game where he became the youngest player with 25-plus points, rebounds, and assists in a Christmas game

11: How many players played for the Mavs​

The Mavericks played all 11 available players today, including Moussa Cisse, D’Angelo Russell, and Jaden Hardy, all of whom saw stretches of playing time. This came with the newest Anthony Davis soreness injury, a new Brandon Williams calf contusion, and the continued absences of Kyrie Irving, Dante Exum, and Derrick Lively. Still, it feels bizarre to think they would need to go 11 deep to beat the Kings without Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis, while also holding DeMar DeRozan to less than 10 points. Still, Jason Kidd had trouble maintaining consistency in effort, particularly in his backcourt, throughout the afternoon. Ryan Nembhard, Russell, and Hardy were each put into action over and over again, allowing Russell Westbrook and Keon Ellis to knock down open shots. While the Mavericks very clearly need to pick a direction with this team and the way they are playing, they clearly need front-court help more than anything.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...s-recap-3-number-from-mavericks-loss-to-kings

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Player Grades: Recapping Mavericks vs. Kings

The Dallas Mavericks (12-21) travelled to California to take on the Sacramento Kings (8-23) on Saturday night. Missing Anthony Davis’ 20 points and 10 rebounds as he nursed a groin injury did not help Dallas’ cause as they lost 113-107.

Let’s get to the grades!

Ryan Nembhard: B-​

9 PTS / 2 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 17 MIN​

Nembhard was solid, but found himself on the bench for long stretches, contributing somewhat to his lack of impact. For that reason, it’s a bit difficult to assess his night, but suffice it to say he did some nice things and shot well enough, though some of that came when the Mavs were down big.

Max Christie: C​

9 PTS / 7 REB / 5 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 30 MIN​

Christie was part of the trend of Mavs that could not hit shots with any real consistency on the night. He rebounded and passed well on a poor shooting night, but turned it over a touch too often.

Cooper Flagg: B-​

23 PTS / 6 REB / 5 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 34 MIN​

There was a point early in the third quarter where Flagg had as many turnovers as shot attempts (four). Having hit none of those shots was problematic of course, but the fact he had so few attempts without Anthony Davis in the game is befuddling. With all due respect, the Kings defense was not that good. Flagg did assert himself much more coming out of halftime, but it’s difficult to stuff a full game’s worth of play into only the latter 24 minutes (though he sure did try). Credit for adjusting, but odd it took 24 minutes to get there.

P.J. Washington: B​

17 PTS / 5 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 4 BLK – 34 MIN​

Washington, much like Naji Marshall, is one of those guys who doesn’t quit even when things are ugly. He may have poor offensive nights from time to time, but he’s the type of player to go hard until the final buzzer. Tonight was a mixed bag, as his three-pointer was not falling well, but he was one of few Mavs that had some semblance of consistency overall. A real nice chase down block in the third quarter says a lot about how he carries himself, and his four total blocks bump his grade.

Daniel Gafford: B​

11 PTS / 7 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK – 23 MIN​

I’m on the “keep Gafford” side of the fence and tonight he somehow made a case for both my stance as well as those who want to see him traded. He had a solid night in the box score, but had a few weird plays where he got beat or was simply out of position. Solid enough night in limited minutes.

Naji Marshall: B-​

11 PTS / 2 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 26 MIN​

May Naji Marshall have a long tenure in a Mavericks uniform. He has a profoundly chill nature that belies an effort which often finds him hitting a big three pointer to force a timeout, or grabbing a rebound and taking it full court for a layup. His ever-trusty drives were not falling for the most part, but that was the story for the Mavs collectively.

Klay Thompson: C​

14 PTS / 5 REB / 0 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK – 25 MIN​

Continuing the theme of the night for Dallas, Thompson couldn’t hit much with any consistency. This was particularly unfortunate, as he looked fine early on, but then botched a contested layup, got his own rebound, then badly blew the putback. That was the start of a drought that included a couple of makeable shots not finding the bottom of the net.

Final Thoughts​

If you tuned in for this game, I’m sorry. If you did almost anything else, congratulations. This was one of those nights where the Mavs did all they could to beat themselves while the Kings did all they could to beat the Mavs as well. Dallas did make a few runs and were within striking distance (as far as the modern-day NBA is concerned) for much of the night, but had they been playing an upper echelon team, I don’t think it’s a stretch that they would have been down 30 points instead of 15 at the half. Shots wouldn’t fall, turnovers galore, defense was suspect (especially against the long ball) and flow was not flowing.

For those more interested in a higher draft pick this summer than they are in wins now, the silver lining is that Dallas inched slightly closer to the West’s worst record which the Kings held coming in.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...ngs-cooper-flagg-keon-clark-mavs-lose-113-107

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs. Trail Blazers Preview: 3 things that matter more for Dallas than beating Portland

After a winning five of six games in a particularly tough stretch of games in early December, the Dallas Mavericks (12-21) have proven that sudden spasm of inspiration was a mere aberration in the team’s last seven, going 2-5, including losses at the Utah Jazz (140-133 in overtime), the New Orleans Pelicans (119-113) and, most recently, the Sacramento Kings (113-107).

The team’s 3-point shooting has regressed to prehistoric levels. Their defensive rating, the last stat that defenders of this roster clung to like cold death, is sinking like the Titanic in the team’s last 10 games. In the last five, the Mavs have also reverted to their default setting, as one of the worst teams in the league at turning the ball over. So, sure, there are certain things the Mavericks will have to do differently in order to get a win when they continue their West Coast road swing on Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers (13-19) at the Moda Center.

But we’ve talked ad nauseam about those things as the season meanders toward its midpoint. Frankly, they don’t matter. This team is completely unserious — win on Monday or lose on Monday. Why pretend to take them seriously?

Here are three things that matter more than cutting down turnovers, creating open shots for the mediocre 3-point shooters that dot this Mavericks roster or buckling down defensively against another also-ran opponent on a cold Monday in December.

ok, so it turns out I was wrong. whoopsie! https://t.co/rmsUyYP2Ng

— Josh Bowe (@Boweman55) December 28, 2025

Anthony Davis’ trade value​

Will Anthony Davis play on Monday against the Blazers after suffering a groin injury in the Mavericks’ Christmas Day 126-116 loss at the Golden State Warriors? That actually does matter, and for the record, Davis was listed as questionable for the contest at Portland on the NBA’s Sunday 5:45 p.m. NBA injury report. But it matters, at this point, only inasmuch as it buoys his prospective value as the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline looms on the horizon.

When he comes back into the lineup, he’s got to be 100% as healthy as a man made of glass can possibly be, so the Mavericks can’t get ahead of their skis and rush him back, no matter how trivial this adductor soreness is made to sound by public relations types. Thankfully, Nico Harrison, perpetrator of injury-related malpractice that he was, is no longer behind the curtain.

"If a deal was able to materialize … I was told it would not involve Trae Young."@ChrisBHaynes hops on Nightcap to discuss a potential Anthony Davis to the Hawks trade pic.twitter.com/2whYAHK8cP

— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) December 27, 2025

First, it was the Detroit Pistons who were reportedly showing some degree of interest in the big man. Then it was the Chicago Bulls. Now, apparently, it’s the Atlanta Hawks and perhaps even the aforementioned Warriors with some level of interest. Somehow, some way, four different teams have looked at this man’s record over his paltry 27-game on-court tenure with the Mavs and somehow talked themselves into the notion that this guy can help them. Halleluka.

"I was told [the Warriors] are contemplating making a case to acquire Anthony Davis as well."@ChrisBHaynes says Golden State is interested in the Mavs star big man. pic.twitter.com/Gv9rYERTiP

— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) December 27, 2025

Getting Davis back against the Blazers and seeing him put up numbers (or, hell, even be able to trot up and down the floor with his customary middling degree of gusto) against a depleted frontcourt featuring Donovan Clingan and Sidy Cissoko might go some little distance in assuaging teams like the Hawks, Bulls and/or Pistons that this latest listing on the injury report was just a blip, not indicative of any major underlying issue. If, however, the Mavs PR machine is trying to sweep something larger under the rug here, that will be made clear if Davis’ latest stint in street clothes extends for anything longer than a game or two more.

We’ll be watching Davis’ progress, both on the injury reports, and God willing, on an actual basketball court in the coming days to further flesh out just how many expiring contracts and draft picks the Mavs may be able to get for him. If he looks good in his next few outings, trade him on the spot for whatever anyone in the league is willing to give up. End this charade of middling and deliver us fully into the Age of Cooper Flagg. We beg you.

For that matter, Daniel Gafford’s trade value​

We need to see something more from Daniel Gafford in the next month or so. It’s been bad for Gafford as December has dragged on — he’s averaging fewer than five points and five rebounds per game in eight games this month. The Indiana Pacers were reported to have some level of interest in trading for Gafford earlier this month, but his recent stretch isn’t doing much of anything either to affect winning or to enhance his trade value. He’s a lose-lose proposition at this point.

Every time the Mavericks give up a jaw-dropping number of offensive rebounds and second-chance points to an opponent with an underwhelming frontcourt, Gafford’s inability to get in position for the battle for rebounds is part of that equation. Every time he flails toward the basket in an ill-fated attempt to get a foul call, it’s a reminder that he’s a post player with zero post moves.

He was best utilized as a rim-runner when the Mavericks employed the best player in the world at getting his teammates open looks. Now, no one on the Mavs roster is suited for that role, so Gafford’s production is suffering. You could look the other way at Gafford’s suspect rebounding when he was getting easy looks at the rim and hyping the rest of the team up with the tough-guy routine that came with his high-flying dunks.

Now, he’s just a guy — a lob threat with no one throwing him lobs consistently. What a game like Monday’s affords a guy like Gafford is an opportunity to put something meaningful on tape against a forgiving frontline on the other end. Jerami Grant has been out for Portland since Dec. 18, and his injury shifted somewhere along the way from “achilles soreness” to “achilles tendonitis.” He sat out of the Blazers’ game on Sunday against the Boston Celtics. Backup big Robert Williams III also sat out, under the heading of “injury management.”

Plant the Flagg​

Flagg’s development as a shooter has taken something of an unexpected step forward in the first half of his rookie campaign. In his last four games, he’s shooting an eye-popping 9-of-14 from 3-point range. He shot just 26.7% from deep in five games in October and followed that up with a paltry 25% shooting percentage from 3-point range in November. It was one of the few glaring weaknesses left in his game, and lately, he’s been much better from the perimeter.

If he develops into any kind of consistent 3-point threat early in his career, he’ll be even more of a behemoth than his most strident supporters could have dreamt. Everything he’s displaying on the offensive end is ahead of schedule.

Flagg’s rapid on-the-job development is making a tough road ahead a little easier for whoever assumes the reins as roster architect for this wayward franchise. We’ve got a basketball super-computer on our hands here. His processing power is the only attribute outpacing his physical prowess at this point. The Blazers will no doubt try to lock Flagg up with versatile defender Toumani Camara, who will provide a nice test for Flagg as he continues to round into peak NBA form much sooner than anyone could have expected.

How to watch​

The Mavericks and the Blazers tip off at the ungodly hour of 9:30 p.m. CDT on Monday from the Moda Center. The game will be broadcast nationally on NBC. The game will also be streamed on Peacock.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...and-cooper-flagg-anthony-davis-daniel-gafford

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

When there’s smoke, there’s fire

The last few weeks have been rife with a never-ending stream of Anthony Davis trade rumors. But there has not been real smoke until very recently, with real suitors and packages becoming apparent. This began with a Chris Haynes report, detailing that the Atlanta Hawks have a real interest in Anthony Davis.

But what does this mean?

For the first time this year, I believe that the Mavericks have had real discussions to trade Davis, and that they may be in the process of negotiating a trade as we speak. My belief is further supported by Marc Stein, who reported that the “Hawks are a real-deal suitor for Davis”.

So, what would a hypothetical Anthony Davis trade look like? And how could the Mavericks get the most value possible to kickstart the Cooper Flagg era. The most logical package of players that makes sense would include the following:

• Kristaps Porzingis
• Luke Kennard
• Zaccharie Risacher

This package almost perfectly matches Davis’s $54.1 million salary, and also includes the type of players the Mavericks desire, namely expiring contracts and young assets. Porzingis and Kennard add up to over $40 million in expiring money, giving the Mavericks major cap flexibility going into next year. But the real prize is last year’s number one overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher. While Risacher has not met expectations, he is still very young and has enticing two-way upside. The fit next to Cooper Flagg is also very intriguing, as both have a do-it-all style that modern basketball is built around.

This package would also more than likely have to include draft compensation, as while Risacher is interesting, his upside is still very limited.

A.D. for expiring’s, picks, and Risacher​

Mavs receive: Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kennard, Zaccharie Risacher, ATL 2026 first round pick, ATL 2032 first round pick swap.

Hawks receive: Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell

The players involved in this deal make the most sense for the Mavericks, but one name that would make ample sense is not involved. Trae Young. While Young would make sense contractually, the Mavericks have “ no interest” in Young, as reported by Tim MacMahon. Young’s fit next to Kyrie makes little sense, and while he is a good player, he often does not contribute to winning basketball. The other asset that is absent from this package is the Pelicans first round pick this year, which is one of the most valuable trade assets in the league. While the Mavericks will surely ask for this pick, I heavily doubt that the Hawks would be willing to part from such a valuable draft pick. This trade finds the middle ground, as the Mavericks would still acquire a second pick in this year’s draft, as well as a future pick swap, in exchange for packaging Russell in this deal.

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But would the Mavericks accept such a package?

Although fans want to be free of Anthony Davis, no matter the cost, the front office may not feel the same. When A.D. is traded, fans and media alike will flock to dunk on the Mavericks for the lackluster package they receive for Davis. This sort of embarrassment will not help the public perception of the organization, and may lead to them not trading Davis, even if it seems obvious. It shouldn’t take a genius to realize this line of thinking is absurd, but this organization has never been normal, so don’t put it past them.

But personally, I do believe that Davis will be an Atlanta Hawk by the trade deadline. I believe that both sides have real motivation to find a deal. The Hawks are currently cratering in the East standings and need a jolt of energy to save their season. On the other hand, the Mavericks need to begin the Cooper Flagg era as soon as possible and have to trade Davis before he suffers another long-term injury. These factors lead me to believe that both sides will work hard to find a solution, and a trade could be more imminent than anyone thinks.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/mavericks-rumors/54192/when-theres-smoke-theres-fire