News Mavericks Team Notes

[Dallas Mavericks]

Player Grades: Recapping Mavericks vs. Jazz

Coming off a tight win Tuesday night, the Dallas Mavericks took on the Utah Jazz looking for continued success, but lost a 116-114 contest in Salt Lake City similar to their last matchup with the Jazz when they allowed a big run to let one get away.

Let’s get to the grades!

Cooper Flagg: A​

26 PTS / 10 REB / 8 AST / 3 STL / 1 BLK – 38 MIN​

Flagg was excellent all night and arguably should have gotten more looks given how well he was playing. Regardless, his 10-for-18 shooting, including 3-for-6 from downtown made him the Mavs’ leading scorer. His near triple-double keeps his grade high despite the turnover total and four fouls.

Max Christie: B+​

16 PTS / 4 REB / 4 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 32 MIN​

Coming off a rough shooting night in Tuesday’s game, Christie put that behind him and got right back to doing what he had been doing in recent weeks. He hit a huge three just as the game officially became “clutch” which put the Mavs up by seven at the time. Although Dallas didn’t close it out, Christie shot well (5-for-9; 3-for-6 from deep) and had a solid all-around game.

Naji Marshall: B​

17 PTS / 2 REB / 4 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 37 MIN​

There are not enough reverse-superlatives to articulate how bad a turnover Marshall committed on an inbounds pass with under a minute remaining. It had no chance in any plane of reality whatsoever, and served as the cherry on top of Dallas blowing a winnable game as Utah went on a run to close it. To his credit, he otherwise had a solid game on 7-for-11 shooting and only one turnover, but it just felt a bit empty overall.

Anthony Davis: B​

21 PTS / 11 REB / 4 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK – 35 MIN​

This is the second game in a row that Davis’ grade does not appear commensurate with his box score, but watching the game told a different story than the number from my perspective. He hit 50% of his 20 shot attempts, but Davis got roasted on multiple occasions on the defensive end and too often clogged up the paint offensively, preventing his teammates from executing and getting to their spots. I’d respectfully comment he should not have been the leading shot taker on the team either. Davis left after a somewhat bizarre hand injury late in the fourth quarter, that as of this writing, has not been diagnosed and disclosed publicly other than coach Jason Kidd acknowledging Davis suffered a hand injury during his postgame media availability.

Daniel Gafford: D​

0 PTS / 7 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN​

Gafford grabbed a handful of boards, but otherwise this was a no-show.

Ryan Nembhard: C+​

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

There wasn’t much doing in this one. Nembhard couldn’t find his stroke, especially from downtown (1-for-4) and turned it over three times. It won’t show in the box score, but Nembhard gets bonus points for his relentless hassling of Jazz inbounders and full court pressure which helped the Mavs close the half on a nice run. That effort helped him to the best plus/minus on the team (by far) of plus-13.

Brandon Williams: N/A​

2 PTS / 3 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 9 MIN​

Williams unfortunately exited the game due to sickness and did not return, so we’ll refrain from grading his partial performance.

Klay Thompson: A​

23 PTS / 3 REB / 5 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 29 MIN​

Thompson found his shot since last time out, and aside from two bizarre turnovers in the early going, he scored nearly a point per minute played early on to keep Dallas close while Utah put on a dunk contest in the first quarter. From there, it only continued. He finished shooting 7-for-13, with six of those makes coming from downtown. His assist total was also his season high. It’s a shame one of his better performances of the season ended in a loss.

Final thoughts​

Dallas looked like the Washington General in the first quarter. The nature of their turnovers was almost comical and would make Benny Hill proud. They were literally falling down, double-dribbling and making horrific passes. Amazingly and despite the start, they had the game won but allowed Utah to make a big run to close things out. This was a bad loss exacerbated by the injury to Anthony Davis. Whether you want him here or want him traded, a long-term hand injury could spoil your day either way.

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...kkanen-mavs-lose-116-114-anthony-davis-injury

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Stats rundown: 3 Stats from The Mavs’ clutch loss to the Jazz, 116-114

The Dallas Mavericks lost to the Utah Jazz, 116-114, but boy does Cooper Flagg love playing in Utah. He lead Dallas with 26 points, and was the only Maverick in the starting five to finish the game with a positive +/-, at +3.

Lauri Markkanen led all scorers with 33 and was supported with 19 from Keyonte George, who continues to play great in his breakout season.

68: points scored by Cooper Flagg in two games against Utah​

In his first game against the Jazz, Cooper set the high-scoring mark for his young career, putting up 42 points in what became his “I’ve arrived” game. In that first matchup, though, Flagg required 15 free throws to get to 42. Tonight, he earned just four, and made three of them.

It was his shooting from the floor — 10-of-18 from the floor and 3-of-6 from three — that powered the majority of his 26-point night. He also finished with eight assists and 10 rebounds, just two assists shy of his first triple-double, and what would be the youngest player to do so in league history. The watch continues. It’s just a shame both of those impressive nights from Flagg have ended with a loss (well, depending on what you want from this season)

-3: Pivotal shot taken off the board​

With Dallas holding a 107-103 lead with under four minutes to go in the fourth quarter (a clutch game, obviously), Cooper Flagg hit what looked like an astounding circus shot. He caught an inbounds pass, spun, and fired up a three from the corner with under a second to go on the shot clock. Nailed it.

Initially, the bucket was counted, but upon review, the shot was just late and resulted in a shot clock violation. So, instead of pushing the lead to seven, Utah got the ball, and Lauri Markkannen promptly went and laid in a hook shot, the start of an 11-1 Jazz run that vaulted them ahead of Dallas with a lead they never surrendered. The 3-pointer that got removed from the board was more than just a loss of points; it shifted the momentum in a game that had been back and forth all night.

1: season-altering finger injury​

Anthony Davis left the game in the fourth quarter with a finger injury. He went to the lockerroom and didn’t return. In a post-game press conference, all Coach Kidd could say about it was that Davis had injured his left hand.

With Atlanta moving Trae Young to the Wizards, it really felt like progress was being made to get AD sent to the team that has been most closely linked with Dallas in trade discussions. How much value AD possessed on the market has been hotly debated, but AD, with an injury to his hand that’s going to keep him out multiple weeks, is certainly going to be much less than it was before.

Dallas is attempting to tread an impossibly narrow path in retooling around Flagg with the few remaining assets they have to rebuild the team on the fly. Getting even less for AD means there’s going to be an even smaller room for error in this rebuild.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...from-the-mavs-clutch-loss-to-the-jazz-116-114

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

On the eve of a possible trade, Anthony Davis predictably injures himself, yet again

Anthony Davis went to the locker room late in the fourth quarter of the Dallas Mavericks’ 116-114 loss at the Utah Jazz on Thursday, after brushing his hand against Lauri Markkanen’s jersey as Markkanen drove past Davis along the baseline on his way to two of his game-high 33 points.

Davis doubled over in pain immediately and walked out of bounds, clearing the lane for Markkanen to hit a little reverse layup as part of a 9-1 run that killed the Mavericks’ late comeback attempt at the Delta Center.

He seemed to know immediately. He was obviously in pain on the bench, a team trainer came over and the two headed straight for the locker room after a few seconds of back-and-forth. That sequence would seem to portend that the injury was more than just a jammed finger.

There were no updates on the nature or severity of the injury immediately after the game, but if Davis’ latest injury is anything more serious than a sprain, it could cloud the team’s outlook as the NBA’s Feb. 5 Trade Deadline approaches.

“He hurt his left hand,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said in his postgame comments. “That’s all we have.”

It’s not subterfuge; the injury had just occurred about 20 minutes before Kidd gave that answer. But on the other hand, this is not an encouraging quote at all. Any kind of prolonged hesitation on the team’s part to offer an update on his status could derail the team’s ability to get off Davis’ salary as soon as possible and switch gears to focus on building around rookie superstar Cooper Flagg, who scored 26 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished eight assists in the loss on Thursday.

Davis was expected to be traded before the deadline, likely for a combination of expiring contracts, spare parts and/or draft compensation. The Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors were two of the latest teams rumored to have interest in acquiring Davis.

watch AD's hand pic.twitter.com/29Dc364ld2

— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) January 9, 2026

This hand injury could end up setting the Mavericks back in a big way. It came at the worst possible moment. His stat-padded good nights have buoyed his trade value to this point. If he’s on the shelf for anything longer than a week, you’d have to think Atlanta, Toronto, Golden State, Chicago and any other potential suitors would immediately vanish into the mist. And if the Mavericks are unable to move Davis before the trade deadline, they may be stuck with him until 2028.

That would put Dallas to a decision as soon as this offseason on whether to extend him when he becomes eligible for his next deal in August. The correct decision there, given Davis’ staggering injury history and franchise-crushing $120-million combined salary cap hit over the next two years, is not only no, but hell no. The list of potential teams interested in Davis’ services after this season will no doubt shrink, since his agent, Rich Paul, has made it known that Davis wants to play for a team that will extend him. If there is no interest in Davis outside the Mavericks, he would, at that point, almost certainly opt in to his player option for 2027-28, leaving Dallas even more hamstrung under the salary cap than they already are.

The Mavs are positioned well with Flagg as a tentpole to come out the other side of the worst trade in modern sports history with a chance to be relevant again in a couple of years. But that’s only if they’re able to offload Davis before the trade deadline or after this season. A 35-year-old Davis still eating up 35% of the salary cap in 2027 would be catastrophic.

That’s why moving him for spare parts and draft picks is such a valuable option for this team — anything that helps them avoid that fate is the best outcome for Dallas. This hand injury is the perfect microcosm for the Anthony Davis Experience in Dallas. This flukey hand injury is exactly why the best reason for trading Davis is simply to be rid of Davis. Yea, he looks good on some nights and still has the ability to influence actual wins against actual good teams in his best moments, but those moments come too few and too far between. They will come even fewer and even farther between over the next two years, if only because he continues to prove his inability to stay healthy.

There’s nothing sustainable about Davis’ good moments, because who knows when his hand is going to brush against someone’s jersey, sending him straight to the locker room the next time? The prognosis on this hand injury will have a ripple effect on the Mavs’ future for years to come.

UPDATE: NBA insider Marc Stein reported late Friday morning that imaging was scheduled on Friday to assess the severity of Davis’ injury.

Imaging is scheduled for today to determined the severity of Anthony Davis’ hand injury sustained Thursday night in Utah, league sources say.

The Mavericks are traveling to Chicago and Davis’ status for his annual homecoming game Saturday is not yet known. https://t.co/mwL3YF4LQh

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 9, 2026

The fact that imaging is even necessary suggests that there is at least some possibility that the injury is more severe than a simple jammed finger or hand. Davis’ status for Saturday’s game at the Chicago Bulls remains in question as of Friday afternoon.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...y-davis-predictably-injures-himself-yet-again

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

NBA Power Rankings Watch: the Mavericks are at a crossroads

There is a frenetic anxiety mounting in the atmosphere around the Dallas Mavericks. As the league inches closer to the NBA trade deadline the unknown possibilities for the Mavericks has left fans feeling they’ve entered the final episodes in a season of Breaking Bad. It ramped up more when now-former Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young was traded to the Washington Wizards — in what seemed a first domino to the Mavericks trading Anthony Davis to the Hawks. Only for Davis to exit Thursday’s game in the final minutes and head straight to the locker room with a new injury. An injury that could keep him out longterm and remove immediate chances at a deal.

That’s all separate from the X’s and O’s and game results, which have dipped back down save for a few wins against quality opponents. The organization is at a crossroads. Any thoughts of “waiting to see” what develops with the current roster need to be squashed. Action to build anew must happen now. That’s the truth lying just below the surface of this week’s Power Rankings Watch.

ESPN​

Rank: 23​

Last week: 24​

Anthony Davis watch will dominate discussions about the Mavericks until the trade deadline. He’d be happy to stay in Dallas if he gets a contract extension this summer, but it’s a stretch to say that would be a logical decision for the Mavs as they built around teenage prodigy Cooper Flagg. Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, who represents Davis, will play a significant role in the search for a trade partner willing to make that kind of commitment to the 10-time All-Star this offseason. — MacMahon

The Athletic​

Rank: 23 (Tier 4: Not the Tier to Fear)​

Last week: 26​

2026 resolution: Maximize Cooper Flagg

Head coach Jason Kidd said that Cooper Flagg has to touch, rub and hold the rookie wall. I’m surprised Kidd didn’t say that Flagg will need to ride the snake to get through the rookie wall as well. Certainly, he’ll be headed for that method with Flagg starting at point guard once again, though Dallas was able to survive a rough Flagg scoring game against the Rockets and get its first win in five games.

NBA​

Rank: 25​

Last week: 26​

Anthony Davis missed only two games with his latest injury, played 76 total minutes over his first two games back, and led the Mavs (with 26 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks) to a win over the Rockets on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• The win on Saturday ended a four-game losing streak and was the Rockets’ worst offensive game of the season (104 points on 101 possessions). The five games prior were the Mavs’ worst stretch of defense (120.3 points allowed per 100), but they still rank in the top 10 on that end of the floor, having seen the league’s sixth biggest improvement from last season. Of course, a lot of that improvement is from the league’s second-biggest drop in opponent 3-point percentage, and time will tell if it sustains.
• The Mavs beat the Rockets despite shooting just 3-for-10 from mid-range and making only eight 3-pointers themselves. They have the league’s second-biggest differential between their field goal percentage in the paint (57.5%, 16th) and their effective field goal percentage on shots from outside the paint (48.2%, 29th). Naji Marshall, Brandon Williams, Davis and Cooper Flagg have the fifth, sixth, 10th and 12th biggest differentials, respectively, among 175 players with at least 75 shots in the paint and at least 75 shots outside.
• The Mavs erased a 17-point deficit in Portland last Monday and had a wide-open 3-pointer for the lead with seven seconds left, but Marshall missed that shot and they lost what could have been a huge game regarding the Western Conference Play-In picture. They’ve now lost their last seven road games, with four of those seven losses having come to other teams in the bottom seven in the West.

Coming up: Overall, the Mavs are just 3-8 (only the Kings have been worse) in games played between the seven West teams with losing records. The three-game trip that begins Tuesday includes games in Sacramento and Utah.

Bleacher Report​

Rank: 25​

Last week: 22​

It’s time for the Dallas Mavericks to surrender their pursuit of a play-in spot (assuming they haven’t done it already).

Trade Anthony Davis, enjoy the big Cooper Flagg nights (like Thursday, when he had 26 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in a loss to the Utah Jazz) and chase better lottery odds.

There’s some value in playing high-leverage games early in your career, but the play-in would likely give Dallas just one or two of those. And that doesn’t come close to measuring up to the potential of a Flagg pairing with one of the top prospects in this upcoming draft.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...ny-davis-injury-espn-athletic-bleacher-report

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Stats Rundown: 3 numbers to know from the Mavericks blowout loss to the Bulls

The Dallas Mavericks got ran off the floor, literally, against the Chicago Bulls 125-107 Saturday night in Chicago. Dallas drops their second straight game against a losing team, their first game since Anthony Davis injured his hand in the loss against the Jazz on Thursday night.

This was a no-good, very-bad game for the Mavericks, who trailed for the entire game. It was a rare blowout loss for the Mavericks, losing by as much as 27 points in the fourth quarter. Rookie point guard Ryan Nembhard led Dallas with 16 points, while Bulls guard Coby White led all scorers with a game-high 22 points.

This game wasn’t very fun to watch, and was potentially a bad foreshadowing of things to come as the Mavericks attempt to push the season forward with Davis expected to miss at least the next month, maybe even more. Let’s just get to the numbers.

38-8: Bulls advantage in fastbreak points​

Chicago rammed the ball down Dallas’ throat the entire night. In a battle between two fast-based teams, it was the Bulls that looked like a blur in the open court, while the Mavericks were a step-slow and sluggish from opening tip. That 38-8 fastbreak point edge is the worst the Mavericks have lost the transition battle all season.

The Mavericks only had 14 turnovers, which isn’t bad, but nearly all of them were catastrophic, live-ball turnovers. The Bulls scored 17 points off those 14 turnovers, which was honestly a let off considering how many opportunities the Mavericks handed them. Even without the turnovers, the Bulls raced past the Mavericks at every opportunity. Dallas was very jumper heavy tonight, attempting 35 three pointers and 12 midrange jumpers. That left only 44 of the Mavericks 91 shots in the paint, and all those long misses fueled the Bulls’ transition attack.

5: Cooper Flag’s combined rebounds, assists, blocks, steals​

The Maverick star rookie was coming off big-time performances against the Kings and the Jazz, and this felt like maybe Flagg’s worst game of his young career. He’s scored fewer than the 11 points he posted against the Bulls, but it was everything else and his disposition that felt off.

Flagg had 1 rebound, two assists, one block, and one steal. He had just as many turnovers (five) as he did all those categories combined, which shows how invisible Flagg was in this game. He looked a bit shell-shocked, and maybe hit just a piece of that rookie wall that was talked about prior to the last two games. There was never a point in the game where Flagg looked locked in or engaged, and that trickled down to the rest of the team.

Of course, Flagg is a 19-year-old rookie. He’s allowed to have bad games, especially with how hard he normally plays. This was just an off night, but hopefully it’s nothing more than that.

0: Sh*t’s given​

I’m being a bit glib with that headline, but the Mavericks all season have prided themselves on if nothing else, playing extremely hard. It hasn’t translated to wins, as Dallas entered the night still outside of the West’s play-in picture, but it’s at least made all these losses watchable and competitive — Dallas overwhelmingly leads the league in clutch games played, and despite all the adversity this group has faced this season, it never felt like the team was on the verge of giving up, even when they had plenty of reasons to do so.

For the first time in a long time, it felt like the Mavericks gave up. They were due for an effort like this, as I can’t imagine it’s easy to continually bring A-level effort after every disappointing loss. It’s commendable that we’ve gotten to Jan. 10 and this is the first time it’s felt like the Mavericks let go of the rope in a game they should have been in against a sub-par opponent.

But I can’t help but wonder. The loss to the Jazz on Thursday was as deflating as they come, with the Mavericks fighting like hell to claw their way back, only to fumble the game away at the end with Anthony Davis suffering another weeks, if not months, long injury. To add insult to that injury, Davis’ injury caused the Mavericks to punt on two crucial possessions in the final minutes of the game, with Davis playing one-armed and out of the play in pain while the Mavericks offense broke down, and then the Jazz scoring easily while Davis couldn’t do anything other than hold his hand in pain.

It’s only human nature to feel an immense let down after that. My main thought watching this game was “was that injury the last straw?” Dallas has been holding their season together as well as possible considering everything that’s happened, but maybe the Davis injury is the start of a real slide. Every Maverick looked dejected toward the end of that Jazz game, and the Davis injury and news that he’ll be out for a while might have hit the team especially hard. It reminded me of the first game the Mavericks played last season after the Luka Doncic trade, getting ran down by the Cavaliers while every player looked like they were at a funeral. To the Mavericks credit, they regained their competitive edge after that and fought to make the play-in — this Mavericks team has a similar opportunity, but it must be hard to have to continuously muster that energy again and again. Dallas’ margin for error is basically non-existent without Davis. Tonight looked like a team that knew their season was over. For the rest of us sickos still tuning in, we can only hope that’s not the case.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...-from-the-mavericks-blowout-loss-to-the-bulls

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Player Grades: Recapping the Mavericks’ 127-107 loss at the Chicago Bulls

The Dallas Mavericks (14-25) began a new era of sorts on Saturday night against the Chicago Bulls (18-20) — one where Anthony Davis is out for the foreseeable future. The Mavs came in with a 4-14 record in games Davis sits, and ended up with another loss after a 125-107 beat down.

Let’s get to the grades!

Ryan Nembhard: B​

16 PTS / 3 REB / 6 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 29 MIN​

Aside from stealing the ball from Cooper Flagg and essentially passing it to Bulls’ Matas Buzelis for a layup, Nembhard was good in his return to the starting lineup. He led all Mavs in scoring, though that may be more of an indictment of the Mavs than merit for Nembhard. He shot well overall (5-for-11; 3-for-6 from deep) in the loss.

Max Christie: B-​

10 PTS / 3 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 27 MIN​

Christie wasn’t bad, but wasn’t especially good — a theme for the Mavs on Saturday. He shot a solid 4-for-9 and 2-for-5 from downtown, but didn’t log particularly high minutes in a blowout.

Cooper Flagg: D​

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

Simply put, this was Flagg’s worst NBA game since his bumpy start to his rookie season, so hopefully it’s now behind him and he can get back to the supernova status he achieved in December. His turnover total (five) exceeded almost every other primary statistic, which tells you all you need to know.

Naji Marshall: C​

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

A pregame stat graphic on the game broadcast showed Marshall holds the fourth-highest field goal percentage of all NBA players under 6’7”. Then the game happened, and he decided to disprove the graphic. The otherwise highly efficient Marshall struggled with his shot (4-for-11). Aside from a nice steals total, he just couldn’t get much going throughout the night.

Daniel Gafford: D​

6 PTS / 7 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 25 MIN​

Gafford is in position to capitalize on newfound opportunity, but it didn’t quite materialize on Saturday. He missed a disproportionate number of shots, saw passes go through his hands, and should have had more rebounds as the primary big in the Mavs’ lineup.

Klay Thompson: C-​

10 PTS / 2 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 20 MIN​

Thompson shot 4-for-10 from the floor but had the worst plus/minus on the team with -19. Thompson provided little boost to a team in desperate need of anything. Like so many of his teammates, this one was forgettable.

Moussa Cisse: A-​

5 PTS / 10 REB / 0 AST / 2 STL / 3 BLK – 19 MIN​

In a game like this, one could argue no one deserves a grade in the A range, but individual performance is key. Cisse got the call from the big club and made the most of his opportunity as the only player who actually cared to rebound (the only Mav in double-figure boards) and actually played defense while the Bulls were getting anything and everything they wanted. Five stocks to go along with 10 boards in under 20 minutes made him the unlikely star of the night for Dallas. He hurt his shoulder in the fourth quarter, but managed to stay in the game.

Jaden Hardy: B​

14 PTS / 1 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 19 MIN​

His game mainly took place in garbage time, so that factors into the equation here, but scoring more points than minutes played on shooting the likes of which virtually no one else could achieve (5-for-8 overall; 4-for-7 from deep). Two turnovers and a foul in limited minutes is a bit much.

Final Thoughts​

Without Anthony Davis (and Dereck Lively and P.J. Washington), the Mavs lost the rebounding battle against the Bulls, and it might be something we all want to get used to for a while. Dallas was outrebounded 52-42 and the Bulls had nearly as many defensive rebounds (41) as the Mavs had total rebounds. They will be rolling out relatively fewer big men and a variety of players who don’t normally get much floor time for the foreseeable future, so this may be a trend.

The Bulls had the largest lead they’ve had in any game all season long, a dubious distinction to hang on the Mavs. This is not a particularly daunting opponent, and yet they made the Mavs look like G-League team. Let’s hope this was a one-off and Dallas can get back to their endless run of clutch games quickly.

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...lls-125-107-cooper-flagg-anthony-davis-injury

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs. Nets Preview: Grasping for 2 reasons to watch Dallas host Brooklyn

It’s over for your little Dallas Mavericks (14-25) on a number of different fronts as the team prepares to host the Brooklyn Nets (11-24) on Monday at American Airlines Center. Anthony Davis’ finger hurts, so any lingering hope of finding a back-door into the playoff picture is all but gone. Anthony Davis’ finger hurts, so any hope of exciting activity at the NBA Trade Deadline must now be replaced by thinking of what the team can get for the likes of Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford and/or Naji Marshall. But hey, the silver lining amid all the finger discomfort and general malaise is that an absolutely stacked draft class awaits the NBA also-rans the Mavericks find themselves swimming with as the 2025-26 season nears its midpoint.

For now, fellow also-ran Brooklyn stands in the Mavs’ way of a few more lottery balls on Monday. It’s a hell of a thing to watch your favorite team play and know that the best result in the long run is a loss to a bad team, but here we are.

The last time these two teams met, on Dec. 12, Dallas took a 119-111 win in Brooklyn, behind 24 and 14 from Davis and 22 and eight from rookie sensation Cooper Flagg. That win came during the Mavs’ mirage of six wins in eight games after Davis came back from the calf injury that kept him out for 14 games. One adductor strain and some ligament damage later, Davis will likely be out for a couple of months at least — he might even be on the shelf for the rest of the season if he chooses to have surgery on his finger.

So why even peer between two fingers as your head lay in your hands at the horror show that is sure to unfold on Monday at the AAC? Here are three reasons.

Break through the rookie wall​

Flagg is coming off an 11-point performance (4-of-13 shooting) in Saturday’s 125-107 drubbing at the Chicago Bulls and has had three off games in his last five. Without Davis for the Dallas offense to lean on, Flagg needs to take this thing over the rest of the way. You’d love to see him break through the little mini-rookie wall he’s hit lately and provide a few highlights along the way, as he is wont to do in his rookie season.

Flagg needs to be involved early and often to help the Mavs get off to a better start against the lowly Nets. He has done a good job of letting each game come to him, but while that’s happening, Dallas has looked lost on offense and passive on defense to start too many games recently.

He had 26 and 10 in Thursday’s 116-114 loss at the Utah Jazz and 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting in Tuesday’s 100-98 win at the Sacramento Kings, but in two games before those and one since, Flagg has combined to shoot just 12-of-40 (30%) from the field.

The Mavs need a dose of hero ball from the young man who swooped in to the team’s rescue after a stroke of miraculous NBA Draft Lottery luck. The Rookie of the Year race is on between Flagg and his Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, and Flagg needs to go and grab it instead of letting it come to him if and when it will. We’re grasping for something to hang onto here.

Who else?​

With Davis’ trade value stuck in a crater, who is going to ride shotgun with Flagg from here on out? We’d love to see something from Thompson, Gafford and/or Marshall, the Mavs’ last best trade assets. Any one of those three could help a contender, and a stretch of good form from that trio could help the Mavs’ pump-and-dump scheme before the deadline.

Marshall has been solid to very good this season and is likely a starter the rest of the way, or at least as long as P.J. Washington is sidelined with his ankle injury. Marshall comes into Monday’s game averaging 13.4 points on 53.5% shooting from the floor, to go along with 4.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and a steal per game this year. That mirrors his production from last year, which was the best year of Marshall’s NBA career. His toughness and skill in the paint has definite value, and his contract should make him an attractive option for contending teams looking to enhance their roster.

Thompson has shown flashes, but his 3-point shooting is down this year, at 35.8%. He’s only getting 22 minutes per game, fewer than even the 24.4 he played in his rookie season way back in 2011-12 with the Golden State Warriors. He’s been a little better of late, shooting it at just a hair over 37% since the start of December. One heater before now and Feb. 5 may be all it takes for some contender to convince themself that they’re one Klay away from a deep playoff run, and that is just the kind of small win the Mavericks need between now and then.

Thompson signed with Dallas, expecting to be on the receiving end of some of the highest-quality looks of his career, due to the all-everything basketball savant Luka Dončić playing beside him. Without that generational shot-creating force, he looks average on a bad team, scoring just over 11 points per game this season.

Gafford has been an eye sore for most of this year after limping into the season following his own ankle injury in training camp. He’s never looked quite right and has alluded to that in several postgame press conferences. He’s not the best rebounding big, and he doesn’t have any post moves, but the Mavs need … something, anything out of Gafford in the next month if he can be packaged in a trade for a draft pick coming back.

How to watch​

The Mavericks host the Nets on Monday at American Airlines Center, with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29 and on sister stations throughout the Mavs’ regional viewership area. It will be streamed on MavsTV and through NBA Leauge Pass where avialale.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...llas-host-brooklyn-cooper-flagg-anthony-davis

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMBets: the Mavericks will try to avoid a third consecutive embarrassing loss

The Mavericks are back home after a three-game road trip to face the Brooklyn Nets for a second time this season. Their first matchup was exactly one month ago, where Dallas won 119-111. This time around, the Mavericks will be without Anthony Davis and possibly P.J. Washington, while the Nets will not have first-round pick Egor Demin. Still, Nets’ leading scorer Michael Porter Jr. will be in the lineup, and he has caused a lot of problems for Dallas in the past. With how the Mavericks have looked the last few games, they will need to lean on home court advantage to have any shot of not disappointing again.

Game intangibles​

Dallas Mavericks (14-25) vs Brooklyn Nets (11-24)

Tipoff: 7:30p CT at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX

How to watch: The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29, or streaming on Mavs TV for anyone in the Mavericks media market. For those outside of the viewing area, NBA League Pass will have you covered.

Odds via the Fanduel Sportsbook as of 1:00PM CST​

Spread: Dallas -4 (-106)

Over/Under: 219.5 (-112/-108)

Moneyline: Dallas -164

Player props​

Cooper Flagg over 35.5 points + rebounds + assists (-106)​

Michael Porter Jr. to score 30+ points (+164)​

Cooper Flagg will not have two bad games in a row. The Nets have the fifth-worst defense in their six games in January, and Flagg was able to get 22 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in these teams’ last matchup. Porter Jr. is a matchup nightmare for Dallas and had 34 points in their first meeting. He is coming off a bad game in the last contest he played in as well, so expect a duel from these two tonight.

Game sides​

Nets +4 (-114)​

Over 219.5 points (-112)​

The Mavericks should not be favored against anyone right now. Not with the laundry list of injuries they have, certainly not with their incentive to lose. The Nets are not necessarily competitive either, but they do have guys that pose a threat to whatever Mavericks defense is left. The first meeting had 230 points; this one should have a similar amount.

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

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Player Grades: Recapping Mavericks vs. Nets

The Dallas Mavericks (15-25) welcomed the Brooklyn Nets (11-25) to Texas on Monday night. Both teams are struggling to the point that if you combined their win totals, it still wouldn’t be enough to claim first place in either conference. The Mavs at least came away with a 113-105 win.

Let’s get to the grades!

Jaden Hardy: C+​

14 PTS / 2 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 22 MIN​

Hardy showed what he can be when he’s at his best. I long advocated for him to play off-ball coming off the bench, feeling he was not a natural point guard, but rather a microwave scorer. Tonight he started, but still microwave scored. His first half alone was 11 points in just over 13 minutes, on 4-for-9 shooting with 3-for-6 from deep. His shooting in the second half dropped a good bit, which almost further demonstrates that microwaves cook quickly and then turn off. Watching him go full sprint with Dwight Powell to both dive for a loose ball was a cool moment in the game.

Max Christie: C-​

10 PTS / 5 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 34 MIN​

Christie may have suffered a bit by Hardy’s introduction to the starting lineup. He often reverted to an exclusive three-point shooter, but with sub-par results (1-for-8 from downtown). He got into the action a bit more later in the game, and played some solid on-ball defense at points. Extra credit for a very nice defensive play one-on-one against Nic Claxton, preventing a post-up and then grabbing the rebound off the miss.

Cooper Flagg: A​

27 PTS / 5 REB / 5 AST / 3 STL / 1 BLK – 35 MIN​

Flagg found his shot (10-for-17) after a rough shooting night last game. He drove and finished, hit shots (including a difficult one-legged mid-range where he most certainly was fouled but didn’t get the call), hit free throws and was the best player for Dallas for most of the game. He had a crucial steal with just over two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and was rewarded with a monstrous dunk on the other end to put Dallas up by nine points at the time. He rolled his ankle to give us all a scare, but came back to the game looking no worse for wear. A few more rebounds would have been nice, but Flagg is now unquestionably the featured player on this team and he capitalized on that in a big way.

Naji Marshall: A​

22 PTS / 4 REB / 9 AST / 3 STL / 1 BLK – 32 MIN​

Marshall didn’t look quite right in the early going. His trusty floaters were a little short and he botched a few rotations that led to Nets’ scores. In the second half, he turned it on in a big, big way, especially in the fourth quarter where he basically took over the game (scoring 12 points in the frame) before Flagg put on some finishing touches. His very nice assist total to lead all Mavs really elevated his grade, especially with only two turnovers. Great game after a slow start. The Mavs easily could have lost without his effort tonight.

Dwight Powell: B+​

5 PTS / 10 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 35 MIN​

Powell was Powell. He brought the same energy he brings every game since the moment he got to Dallas. This guy is a pro’s pro and really deserves his flowers as one of the most “stay ready” players you will find. He led the team with 10 rebounds against a Nets team that features plenty of height. He also took his requisite shot to the face when he head-butted Nic Claxton by accident, so it was a complete game indeed.

Ryan Nembhard: B+​

9 PTS / 1 REB / 8 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 22 MIN​

Nembhard was solid and probably should have spelled Hardy a touch more when the latter went cold. Eventually their minutes played evened out and although his numbers didn’t leap off the page, he did a nice job managing the offense and hitting a few timely shots to finish 4-for-8 overall with an 8:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Moussa Cisse: C+​

2 PTS / 6 REB / 0 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 12 MIN​

Cisse was grabbing a rebound per minute for a five-minute stretch, but also committed three fouls in that same span, which sent him to the bench for a good long time before he was needed again in the third quarter to match Brooklyn’s size (Christie could cover the opposing center only so often). Solid rebounding but not a whole lot else. He shows potential and hopefully will refine his game in the absence of so many other bigs on the injured list.

Klay Thompson: A-​

18 PTS / 2 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK – 27 MIN​

It’s not clear to me if Thompson is turning it on because he wants to get traded to a contender, or what. You would think with all the injuries on the team, Thompson would have a harder time getting his looks, but he did fantastic tonight, highlighted by 6-for-9 shooting from deep. He hit a huge three-pointer to stymie a Nets’ run in the third quarter after Flagg went to the bench with a rolled ankle. Then did it again in the fourth quarter to give Dallas a bit of breathing room. Inside the arc left something to be desired, but he had a solid game and contributed to the win in a meaningful way.

Final Thoughts​

These teams are not juggernauts on their way to making deep postseason runs, but they at least made for an entertaining game. Marshall showed what he can do when he is featured, and seeing Flagg play without having to defer to another star was nice and should hopefully help his development in a big way.

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...-105-player-grades-cooper-flagg-anthony-davis

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Stats Rundown: 3 numbers from the Mavericks win against the Nets

The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Brooklyn Nets 113-105 Monday night in Dallas, snapping a two-game losing streak and bouncing back from one of their more dispiriting efforts of the season Saturday night against Chicago.

Cooper Flagg led Dallas with 28 points, while Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. led all scorers with 29 points. Dallas took an early 5-4 lead in the first quarter and the Nets never had the lead for the rest of the game, in a reversal from Saturday where the Mavericks trailed throughout against the Bulls.

This was a much more lively and energetic game. The Mavericks scored well in transition, hustled on defense, and made a ton of shots. It doesn’t mean that much, the Nets are not good, but it was important stabilizer after the Mavericks had two recent disappointing losses.

Here are the three numbers were noticed.

2,800: Career 3-pointers for Klay Thompson​

With 8:50 left in the fourth quarter, Thompson drilled a three giving him 2,800 for his career. He’s the fifth player in NBA history to reach that mark, and Thompson now is five more made threes away from passing Damian Lillard for fourth place on the all-time list.

It was a special night for Thompson overall — he had 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting from three, and while Flagg and Naji Marshall were more dominant scorers, you could argue Thompson’s floor gravity was the MVP of the night. Dallas made 15 three pointers and still scored a healthy 44 points in the paint, as the Nets could not keep up with Thompson’s off-ball movement.

The overall numbers don’t reflect this, but the eye-test is saying Thompson’s spacing and shooting is still hugely vital for this Mavericks team. Dallas is top-1o in paint points per game, drivers per game, and field goal percentage on drives. They’re doing this despite being one of the worst three point shooting teams in the league. How are they still getting to the basket and scoring at the rim? Thompson’s gravity makes a big difference.

Multiple times in this game Thompson drew the attention of two Nets defenders, typically coming off a screen from the wing or a pin down to pop out from the top of the key. That left Brooklyn’s backline vulnerable and if the Mavericks didn’t score in the paint, they kept the Nets in rotation and found quality three point looks. Dallas was 15-of-34 from three, one of their best marks of the season.

14: Combined rebounds, assists, blocks, steals for Cooper Flagg​

Against the Bulls on Sunday, Flagg looked a little shell-shocked and despondent. It led to one of his worst games of the season, with little to show for his anemic activity left. Good news: Flagg was back to his high-motor self, humming across the court both on offense and defense.

While his team-high 27 points will get the headlines, his secondary stats told the story of a guy bouncing back with the right level of disposition. Flagg only had five combined rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals against the Bulls. He almost tripled that number against the Nets.

Flagg was everywhere. He was a blur in transition and got himself about four to six free points simply because he was playing harder than anyone else on the floor. There was a two-handed transition dunk in the second half where when Max Christie made the pass ahead, the TV broadcast did not have Flagg in the frame and I genuinely wondered who the hell Christie was throwing the ball too, since no way any Maverick got down the floor that fast after the live-ball turnover. Turns out Flagg did get down the floor and he jammed it. When Flagg is playing with this unrivaled energy, the Mavericks look much better.

10: Rebounds for Dwight Powell​

Shoutout to the longest tenured Maverick Dwight Powell for filling in with the Mavericks front court shorthanded and putting in an admirable performance. Powell played a game-high 35 minutes and had a team-high 10 rebounds, to go along with three assists and five points.

With all of the Mavericks main centers injured, Powell filled in as a spot-starter and played well. He might be the best screener on the team, and it doesn’t feel like a coincidence that Thompson seems to shoot better when he shares the court with Powell.

In a bit of a mud fight game like this, with two bad teams squaring off, Powell’s veteran intangibles are unmatched. It was fun to see him do stuff, and I’m glad his effort level was rewarded with a win.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...mbers-from-the-mavericks-win-against-the-nets

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Anthony Davis to undergo hand surgery, per reports

The Anthony Davis experiment in Dallas has reached its most familiar endpoint. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Davis is likely to undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in his left hand, sidelining him for several months and effectively ending his season with the Mavericks. Given both the medical prognosis and the organization’s current direction, this development does not merely pause the Davis era; it all but ends it.

More importantly, Shams followed that report with a second, equally revealing update: despite the impending surgery, the Mavericks have reopened trade discussions with multiple interested teams. The implication is clear. Dallas no longer views Davis as a foundational piece, but rather as a movable asset whose value must be recaptured before the situation deteriorates further. If moved to a playoff contender, Davis’ recovery timeline could allow him to return during the postseason, shifting both the medical and financial risk onto another franchise. Now, there is a good chance this is all smoke from Davis’ agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, who is known for working with Shams to leak news about his clients before Shams arrived at ESPN. But if there is genuine interest in Davis, the Mavericks absolutely need to look into it.

The situation has only grown more convoluted in the hours since Charania’s report. Shortly after ESPN’s update circulated, Anthony Davis himself took to social media, posting, “Y’all better stop listening to all these lies on these apps!” in apparent response to reports that his season is effectively over and that trade talks are ongoing. Around the same time, Marc Stein reported that there remains “some optimism in Dallas” that Davis could return at some point in March, even if surgery on his left hand is required.

That contradiction perfectly encapsulates the Anthony Davis dilemma. On one hand, league reporting suggests a months-long absence and an organization preparing for life without him. On the other hand, there is familiar optimism, timelines, projections, and framing that have accompanied nearly every Davis injury over the last several years. The gap between what is hoped for and what actually materializes has consistently defined his availability, and Dallas has already lived on the wrong side of that divide.

Even if Davis were to beat the timeline and return late in the season, it would not meaningfully alter the Mavericks’ trajectory. A March return would leave little runway for conditioning, rhythm, or reintegration into a roster already struggling for continuity. More importantly, it would not solve the franchise’s larger issue: the Mavericks are not a playoff-caliber team built around Anthony Davis, even when he is on the floor.

This moment did not arrive out of nowhere. The path to Davis’ season-ending surgery can be traced directly to the injury he suffered Thursday night against Utah. This game encapsulated the entire Anthony Davis experience in Dallas. Davis finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds on 20 shot attempts, a line that appears productive until you examine the context. With the game still within reach late, Davis injured his left hand while defending Lauri Markkanen, who had consistently overwhelmed him throughout the night and finished with 33 points.

The play itself was routine. Markkanen backed Davis down with a legal shoulder bump that caught Davis’ wrist. What followed was more damaging than the contact itself. Davis spent the next two possessions standing on the baseline clutching his hand, effectively leaving the Mavericks to defend four-on-five at a critical juncture. Moments later, he checked himself out and headed to the locker room, swinging the game and punctuating yet another night where availability proved more impactful than production.

Even before the injury, Davis’ performance had ongoing concerns. His scoring came primarily through complex, contested attempts, with minimal rim pressure and little defensive authority. He repeatedly settled for tough shots, struggled to impose himself physically, and was visibly disengaged in transition defense. Davis simply has not been bringing the effort required to reach baseline production, which was inefficient, unsustainable, and ultimately detrimental to winning basketball.

This has been a constant throughout the season. Davis occupies roughly 35 percent of the salary cap and is expected to function as a first or second option once Kyrie Irving returns. He is paid to be an elite, top-tier, two-way force capable of anchoring both ends of the floor. Instead, the Mavericks have received inconsistent defense, inefficient scoring, and a nightly sense that any moment could end his availability altogether. That concern has now materialized in the form of a hand injury severe enough to require surgery and end his season.

The lower-body issues that plagued Davis earlier in the year, with hamstring and adductor problems that have limited his availability and disrupted lineup continuity, have already placed him on unstable footing. The hand injury is not an isolated setback; it is the culmination. What began as short-term frustration has escalated into a definitive breaking point, reinforcing the central problem that has defined the Davis tenure in Dallas: there was always no margin for error.

His contract magnifies that reality. Davis is in the first year of a three-year, $175.4 million extension that runs through the 2027–28 season and includes a $62.8 million player option. He will turn 33 in March, and his deal consumes approximately 35 percent of the salary cap on a roster already pressed up against the second apron. The Mavericks are not just financially constrained, they are structurally locked in.

The second apron strips away nearly every way for the front office to upgrade its roster. Dallas cannot aggregate salaries in trades, cannot meaningfully replace lost production through free agency, and cannot maintain flexibility for contingency plans. When Davis is unavailable, the Mavericks are not simply missing a star; they are exposed as a roster built on an assumption that has repeatedly failed. But even when Davis is on the floor, that assumption has proven shaky at best. Dallas is paying for a dominant, stabilizing force capable of carrying a roster through difficult stretches. What it has received instead is an inconsistent offensive hub, a declining defensive impact, and a player whose presence no longer elevates the team’s ceiling. The center position does not merely collapse in his absence; it fails to drive winning even when he is present meaningfully.

This is the inherent danger of a top-heavy cap structure, particularly when the most expensive player also carries the most significant durability risk. The gamble only works if the cornerstone is reliably available. Davis has not been that player, and the current injury removes any remaining illusion that he will suddenly become one.

The organizational context makes the decision even clearer. Dallas is increasingly oriented around Cooper Flagg as its long-term pillar. Flagg’s rookie-scale contract provides rare cap relief in an otherwise inflexible financial landscape, and his developmental timeline does not align with a high-usage, high-cost center entering his mid-30s. Every additional season spent waiting for Davis to stabilize is a wasted opportunity in a league that punishes hesitation.

Shams’s reporting confirms that the Mavericks understand this reality. The fact that trade talks are continuing despite the looming surgery signals urgency, not optimism. Dallas is no longer trying to salvage the Anthony Davis experiment; it is trying to exit it. If another team believes Davis can return during a playoff run and can justify the long-term risk, the Mavericks should capitalize while that belief persists.

The Anthony Davis experiment did not fail solely because of bad luck or injuries. It failed because the version of Davis Dallas that is being paid for no longer exists. His offensive efficiency has become erratic, his defensive dominance has waned, and his ability to consistently impose himself on games has diminished. Even during his healthiest stretches, the Mavericks have not looked like a playoff-caliber team built around him. In a Western Conference defined by depth, versatility, and star-driven consistency, a roster centered on Anthony Davis, even at full strength, is not good enough. With his season effectively over and the Mavericks’ direction increasingly defined, trading Davis is no longer a controversial stance. It is the only responsible path forward.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...s/54681/mavs-news-anthony-davis-injury-update

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMBets Game of the Week: Can the Mavericks topple the Zombie Nuggets?

The Dallas Mavericks are set to face off against the Denver Nuggets on National TV, which means it’s time to dive into our MMBets Game of the Week. The Mavericks are fresh off of a clutch win against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. Meanwhile, the Nuggets are on the second leg of a road back-to-back, having won in New Orleans on Tuesday. Bear in mind, Denver still does not have Nikola Jokic back after the knee injury and will likely rest some guys on the back end of the back-to-back. What does that mean we are in store for tonight?

Before we dive into the matchup, let’s look at last week’s results.

Last week’s results​

Dallas 100, Sacramento 98

Tyler: 3-1 (+$201)

David: 2-2 (-$18)

Well, would you look at that? Tyler finally put together a winning week for the first time in ages. The real question is: Was this a sign of things to come? Or was this simply a blind squirrel finding a nut?

Year to date​

David: 22-17 (+$647)

Tyler: 14-25 (-$1,035)

Overall: 36-42 (-$388)

Progress was made to start off 2026, but there is more work to be done in order to get this thing back in the black. Let’s go to work.

Game intangibles​

Denver Nuggets (27-13) at Dallas Mavericks (15-25)

Tipoff: It’s a late one, as this will tip shortly after 8:30p CT from the American Airlines Center

How to watch: ESPN has a national telecast of this one, but KFAA Channel 29 and Mavs TV will be showing the game as well.

Game odds as of 11:00a​

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

Spread: Dallas -1.5

Over/Under: 224.5

Moneyline: Denver is +102 to pull the (very small) upset

David’s picks​

• Nuggets ML (-104)

• Cooper Flagg over 23.5 points (-110)

• Aaron Gordon over 28.5 points + rebounds + assists (-114)

• Jamal Murray under 8.5 assists (+102)

Tyler’s picks​

• Jalen Pickett to score 10+ points (-130)

• Nuggets +1.5 (-112)

• Over 224.5 points (-114)

• Tim Hardaway Jr. to make 4+ three pointers (+186)

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...anduel-betting-preview-predictions-january-14

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz Game Preview: 3 things to watch as Dallas faces Utah

Dallas and Utah are two teams having very similar seasons, and on Thursday, they’ll face off as two teams playing the second game of a back-to-back. They’ve played twice already so far this season, and Utah has been victorious in both games. This will be the first game where Dallas will play host, but it seems like they may have to do so without star rookie Cooper Flagg, who left Wednesday’s game against the Denver Nuggets with a sprained ankle.

Rock fight​

The Jazz, already without Walker Kessler, may also be missing Lauri Markkanen, who didn’t play in his team’s loss against the Bulls Wednesday due to illness. So, to recap, that’s a Dallas team without Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and likely Cooper Flagg, versus a Jazz team missing Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler. Dallas will at least have the benefit of playing at home, where they’ve managed to play .500 ball. It’s the road where this team has really seemed to fall apart.

Expect the unexpected​

This game may get ugly. Very ugly. Unspeakably hideous basketball. Sure. But there’s always a chance something crazy might happen. It’s like when a team switches coaches mid-way through the season. Even if they’ve been playing like trash all year, they always seem to get that new coach bump. Running plays opponents aren’t expecting. Lineups and rotations that have never seen the floor together before. Well, we might see some of that from both sides.

Against the Bulls, a bench player averaging 10 points a game, exploded for 42! If there’s a pet player or a project you’ve been wanting to watch get some burn, this is the game to tune in for. Jaden Hardy fans, Miles Kelly acolytes, Moussa Cisse believers, now is your time!

Eyes on the balls​

NBA insider Marc Stein has recently reported that Dallas’ (legally unstatable) goal for this season is “getting the highest possible pick in the June draft.” A good plan, as this is the last of their own picks in their possession until 2031. Utah, though, is a fellow traveler, and has even higher stakes for their pick this season. It is a protected pick, one-through-eight. Any higher than eight, and they’ll have to send it to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Just half a game separates these two in the unspoken standings. We’ll see who’se more serious about maximizing ping pong over basketball. It’s a Marty Supreme-off.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla.../54747/3-things-to-watch-as-dallas-faces-utah

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMBets — The Utah Jazz face the Dallas Mavericks

Two teams. One goal. Absolutely no shame. The Dallas Mavericks (15–26) host the Utah Jazz (14–26) tonight in a matchup that feels more like a draft lottery cage match than a basketball game. Both are limping into the second leg of a back-to-back, both are missing cornerstone players, and both know exactly where their June priorities lie — at the bottom of the standings.

Let’s scan the lines in search of value.

Fixture:
Utah Jazz (14–26, 5–14 Away)
@ Dallas Mavericks (15–26, 11–11 Home)
American Airlines Center — Dallas, TX
7:30 PM CST, Jan 15, 2026
KFAA-TV / NBA App

DraftKings Snapshot (as of 3:53 PM CST)
Spread: DAL -3.5 (–110) | UTA +3.5 (–110)
Total: 236.5 (O –115 / U –105)
Moneyline: DAL –166 | UTA +140

Game Side Lean: Jazz +3.5

There’s a rule in Tank Wars: take the team less competent at hiding their intentions. The Mavericks are without Kyrie, without AD, and likely without Cooper Flagg — the last flicker of this roster’s dignity. Utah’s not exactly healthy either (no Kessler, probably no Lauri), but they’ve at least covered the last two matchups in this series, including an overtime blitzkrieg back in December.

Dallas is coming off a back-to-back against Denver and could absolutely fart through the fourth quarter again. If Lauri suits up, Jazz ML is a live look. But even without him? These are the games Brice Sensabaugh randomly drops 43. This is chaos candy. Don’t ask it to make sense — just eat it and hope it doesn’t kill you.

Total Lean: Under 236.5

The line opened at 237.5 and has quietly drifted downward. Both teams are on the second night of a back-to-back, missing major creators. Without Flagg, the Mavs offense reverts to Hardy dribble clinics and Nembhard mid-post purgatory. Utah’s best scorer might be their G League call-up. Even with the defensive absences, the math on volume is ugly. Think more Moussa Cisse verticality contest than shootout.

Player Props We Like

Naji Marshall Over 19.5 Points (–119)

Marshall’s been a quietly steady presence for Dallas all season — tough on the catch, fearless off the drive, and just unpredictable enough to pop for 20 when the rotation thins. With Flagg likely out and the Mavericks deep in next-man-up territory, his path to volume is clean. He just dropped 24 on Denver with minimal fanfare, and Utah’s short-handed defense offers similar cracks to exploit. Nothing fluky about it — just a savvy prop in a weird game.

Kyle Filipowski Over 11.5 Points (–121)

With no Lauri and a thin Dallas front court, Kyle should have room to operate around the basket and in the mid range.

Summary:

Dallas is favored by inertia and homecourt, but the roster says otherwise. Utah is worse at basketball, but better at pretending to try. If you trust the Mavs to subtly tank without making it obvious — bless your optimism. We’ll ride the Jazz +3.5 and sweat out an under that feels a lot more 109–105 than 125–122.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...mbets-the-utah-jazz-face-the-dallas-mavericks

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Player Grades: Recapping Mavericks vs. Jazz

The last time the Dallas Mavericks took on the Utah Jazz, they lost both the game and Anthony Davis. Thursday night was a different story, as Dallas took a 144-122 win.

Let’s get to the grades!

Brandon Williams: A-​

18 PTS / 2 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 25 MIN​

Williams was a flamethrower along with a few of his teammates. He did a little bit of everything, even blocking a shot, but did turn the ball over more than you’d like to see. Solid game and an excellent shooting night.

Jaden Hardy: B-​

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

Hardy wasn’t able to find his shot, especially from deep. Compounding the issue is that he didn’t do much else to make up for his lack of offensive punch. He had a few dimes and hit his free throws, but fouled too often and wasn’t able to feast like some of his teammates. He came on a bit in the fourth when the game was long past over.

Caleb Martin: A+​

14 PTS / 5 REB / 6 AST / 3 STL / 0 BLK – 29 MIN​

Coming off a great outing Wednesday night, Martin got the starting nod in this one. It was nice to see him continue his red-hot shooting (6-for-8), while demonstrating the defensive prowess he was brought here for in what has become an ill-fated trade. Martin looks healthier and it’s nice to see him perform at this level on both sides of the ball, while also getting teammates involved. He has now put together his two best games as a Mav, by far.

Naji Marshall: A​

22 PTS / 6 REB / 4 AST / 3 STL / 0 BLK – 24 MIN​

Marshall joined Martin in the Thieves Guild with a high steal total to go along with his 20-plus points. He didn’t shoot quite as well as Martin, but he was highly efficient in his own right (9-for-15), on a higher number of shots. He took care of the ball, didn’t foul much and showed he can put on a show when he’s given the chance.

Dwight Powell: B+​

6 PTS / 7 REB / 0 AST / 2 STL / 2 BLK – 25 MIN​

I’m nudging Powell up a touch on the merits of his steals and blocks totals. He had himself a solid night other than a couple of bungled turnovers, even if his stat line doesn’t blow you away.

Ryan Nembhard: B-​

8 PTS / 4 REB / 10 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 23 MIN​

Nembhard was probably the toughest to grade tonight. He didn’t have a good shooting night and therefore didn’t score much, but his double-figure assists were impressive, especially with so few turnovers. Good game and nice work orchestrating when his shot wasn’t falling.

Moussa Cisse: A+​

10 PTS / 13 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 3 BLK – 23 MIN​

Cisse does not have a well-established baseline from which to formulate a grade. Fortunately, he made it easy with a relatively monstrous game. For a guy who shuffles between the NBA and G League and who may go long stretches without any floor time, he had himself a night for a team that is devoid of size.

Klay Thompson: A+​

26 PTS / 1 REB / 6 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK – 23 MIN​

Any time Thompson drops five or more threes in a game, Dallas is likely to have a good night. He scored more points than minutes played, dished a nice assist total, and is now fourth all time in three-pointers made, moving past Damian Lillard on Thursday night.

Final thoughts​

The lineups featured in this game on both sides were bizarre. Injuries and rest were the call of the day and it resulted in a lot of floor time for players we don’t normally see. As easy as it is to write off the smashing victory as a fluke against and injured team, Dallas was as worse for wear as Utah and still annihilated the Jazz despite not having much continuity among their available players.

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...cks-jazz-recap-mavs-win-144-122-klay-thompson

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Stats Recap: 3 Numbers From Mavericks 144-122 evisceration of Jazz

The Mavericks absolutely demolished the Jazz, 144-122, in a game that was never close. It was a team effort from the injury-riddled Mavericks, as seven players finished in double digits, including 26 from Klay Thompson, 22 from Naji Marshall, 19 from Jaden Hardy, and 18 from Brandon Williams. The Jazz lost behind a 27-point night from Brice Senseabaugh.

Dallas showed real offensive juice early behind Klay Thompson’s 10 first-quarter points, using Ryan Nembhard’s playmaking to generate clean looks and jump out in front before the shot profile tilted heavily toward pull-up threes. The Mavericks briefly steadied themselves with a 7–0 run late in the first and early second, sparked by Naji Marshall’s downhill attacks, including a transition finish and a timely three that pushed him into double figures before halftime. Defensively, Dallas created opportunities with steals from Thompson and Marshall, but repeatedly failed to cash in, as missed threes and missed free throws stalled momentum before it could snowball. By the break, the Mavericks’ first half told a familiar story: flashes of ball movement, rim pressure, and defensive activity, undone by inefficient shooting stretches and an inability to capitalize on the runs they created.

Any competitive tension evaporated after halftime as Dallas turned the second half into a runaway, steadily stacking points possession after possession while Utah tried to survive. The Mavericks opened the fourth by pushing the lead past 110, with Klay Thompson’s third three, Mike Kelly and Jaden Hardy drilling pull-ups, and Ryan Nembhard racking up assists as the ball moved freely against a broken Jazz defense. From there, the game devolved into extended garbage time, with Dallas continuing to score through cuts, transition threes, and putbacks, while Utah’s baskets came sporadically and without any momentum attached. By the time the score climbed into the 140s, the only remaining question was how wide the final margin would be, not who was winning.

65: Mavs bench points​

The Mavericks trailed 65 bench points tonight, their most this season, including 26 points from Klay Thompson, 12 from new signee Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, and 10 from Moussa Cisse. That bench production wasn’t about rescuing Dallas, it set the tone from the opening minutes. Klay’s first-half scoring burst immediately separated the game. At the same time, Robinson-Earl and Cisse consistently cashed in on interior touches, offensive rebounds, and cleanup plays that showed up repeatedly in the play-by-play. With the lead already established, the bench kept the pressure on, stretching margins quarter by quarter and turning the night into a blowout rather than allowing Utah any path back into the game.

6: Klay Thompson 3-pointers​

Klay Thompson was the engine for the Mavericks tonight, providing the early spark that blew the doors open in the first half. Klay knocked down six threes and finished with 26 points, but the tone was set immediately, as he passed Damian Lillard for fourth place on the NBA’s all-time three-point makes list with a first-quarter triple, turning a routine early possession into a historic moment. More importantly, his early shot-making warped the game from the opening quarter. Every Jazz miss was met with another Klay pull-up, a trail three, or a relocation bomb that turned a competitive opening into a runaway. Utah was forced to hug him off the ball and send extra attention on handoffs, which opened up driving lanes and cleanup opportunities for Dallas’ bigs and bench units that repeatedly showed up in the play-by-play.

144: Mavericks points​

The Mavericks cracked 140 points for the first time this season, and it was the result of sustained efficiency rather than pace or late-game inflation. Dallas shot 56.7% from the field and 40% from three, consistently turning advantages into clean looks as the offense flowed from the opening quarter onward. The balance stood out just as much as the efficiency, with seven players finishing in double figures and six different Mavericks knocking down at least two threes, a reflection of ball movement and spacing that never allowed Utah to load up on one option. When that many players are scoring, and the shots are falling at that rate, the outcome becomes inevitable long before the final minutes.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...cap-3-numbers-from-mavericks-144-122-win-jazz

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

NBA Power Rankings Watch: the Mavericks need to reset the vision

With mounting injuries, contradicting sourced reporting, and a will-they-won’t-they soap opera of trade rumors involving Anthony Davis, very little is going right for the Dallas Mavericks. The league’s trade deadline needs to get here asap so fans can accept whatever reality is next, and the team needs to refocus their vision. Part of that is accepting reality and positioning themselves as best they can for this summer’s NBA Draft.

All that considered, there are still some bright moments to hold to in these games. Cooper Flagg continues to flash brilliance. He is now nursing an ankle injury, but his composure and ability remains on display most nights. Players like Naji Marshall, mentioned below in this week’s Power Rankings Watch, has stepped up his game — perhaps just in time for said deadline. And Klay Thompson just moved himself into fourth all time in three-pointers. With so much in limbo it’s important to celebrate those mini victories.

ESPN​

Rank: 24​

Last week: 23​

Forward Naji Marshall has been one of the bright spots of a difficult season in Dallas. He’s averaging career bests of 13.6 points and 54% shooting, and his production has increased to 16.9 points on 58.6% shooting in his 17 starts. He has been especially productive attacking off the dribble, shooting 60.7% off of drives. According to NBA Advanced Stats, only Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have a higher field goal percentage among the players who rank in the top 50 in points off of drives. — MacMahon

The Athletic​

Rank: 24 (Tier 4: Not the Tier to Fear)​

Last week: 23​

Preseason win total: 41.5
On pace to win: 29

Vegas and the national broadcasters were on NicoVision when it came to projecting this Mavericks team. Some even thought Kyrie Irving would be back by now. Alas, here the Mavericks are, with their injury-prone big men out of commission, top free-agent acquisition D’Angelo Russell playing zero 20-minute games since Thanksgiving and Cooper Flagg splitting awesome games with forgettable outings.

NBA​

Rank: 25​

Last week: 25​

• At this point, Davis has played in just 29 of a possible 74 games since he was acquired (along with Max Christie) for Luka Dončić. This season, the Mavs are 10-10 with Davis in uniform, but they’ve been outscored by 4.6 points per 100 possessions in his 626 minutes on the floor.
• The Mavs were outscored by 28 points (54-26) in the restricted area in Chicago on Saturday, falling to 4-15 without Davis. They’ve scored just 106.7 points per 100 possessions over those 19 games, only slightly better (107.5 scored per 100) in Cooper Flagg’s 844 total minutes on the floor without Davis.
• The offense was ugly on both ends of the floor in Sacramento on Tuesday, but the Mavs got the win with two go-ahead buckets in the final minute. Flagg had the first (a tough, lefty finish off the glass) and assisted on the other (a Brandon Williams 3), and he’s now 4-for-6 on shots to tie or take the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime. Those four buckets are tied for fourth league-wide.

Coming up: With their loss in Utah on Thursday, the Mavs are 0-6 (one of three winless teams) in rest-advantage games. They’ll have two more – vs. Brooklyn and Denver – as they play a four-game homestand this week.

Bleacher Report​

Rank: 26​

Last week: 25​

The Dallas Mavericks pummeled the Utah Jazz on Thursday, but it’s tough to find big takeaways from a game without Cooper Flagg and Lauri Markkanen.

Dallas lost to Utah just one week earlier, is 4-7 in its last 11 and recently got some bad news on Anthony Davis. He may not need surgery on his injured hand, but he’s going to be out for several weeks and could still be traded before the deadline.

With Flagg now nursing his own ankle injury, all signs are pointing to the Mavericks more aggressively chasing improved lottery odds down the stretch.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...s-espn-athletic-bleacher-report-anthony-davis

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs Jazz Preview and Injury Update: One last time, with feeling

The Dallas Mavericks (16-26) play the second night of a back-to-back against the Utah Jazz (14-27) on Saturday afternoon in the final game of a four game homestand. These two teams each faced one another on Thursday in the Seats for Heroes night, and Dallas won by many, many points. Perhaps Utah will have an ounce of shame and actually play some of their players instead of benching guys luke Jusif Nurkic.

Heres the main things you need to know before tipoff.

• WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Utah Jazz
• WHAT: A midseason tankfest
• WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
• WHEN: 4:00 pm CST
• HOW: KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV streaming, NBA League Pass

The injury report for the Dallas Mavericks grows even longer than the one from Thursday. The core four are out (Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively, and Dante Exum), but D’Angelo Russell was added to the report as out just recently due to illness and PJ Washington is missing the game due to personal reasons.. Cooper Flagg and Daniel Gafford are each listed as doubtful due to ankle sprains they suffered during the Denver Nuggets game. Thats EIGHT Mavericks. Max Christie is going to suit up, though.

The Jazz won’t have Walker Kessler, who is missing the whole season due to shoulder surgery. Lauri Markkonen is out due to an illness and Georges Niang will miss the game due to a foot injury.

The Jazz openly tanked the Thursday game, sitting playable guys who got “Did not play – Coach’s decision”. I expect a fine from them at some point, particularly if they do it again today. Dallas isn’t tanking, they are simply hurt and also stink.

Join the conversation!​

Sign up for a user account and get:

• Fewer ads
• Create community posts
• Comment on articles, community posts
• Rec comments, community posts
• New, improved notifications system!

Consider joining Josh and me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube, we should start LATE. 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: Recapping Mavericks vs. Jazz

The Dallas Mavericks have seen a lot of the Utah Jazz over the past month, with their most recent faceoff just two days ago. Dallas repeated their success from Thursday night with a 138-120 win Saturday.

Let’s get to the grades!

Brandon Williams: A​

22 PTS / 4 REB / 5 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN​

Williams had a very nice game on both sides of the ball. He scored on efficient shooting (8-for-13), played solid defense and made some nice passes. His assist-to-turnover ratio (5:2) wasn’t mind blowing, but there isn’t much to complain about in respect of his overall performance.

Max Christie: A​

22 PTS / 2 REB / 4 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 26 MIN​

Christie returned to action looking as though he didn’t miss a beat. He had himself a sound night in all respects, shooting well in his return (7-for-13). He took care of the ball and played sound defense without racking up fouls. Highlight play: cutting off a passing lane for a steal he took the other way for a layup in the second quarter.

Caleb Martin: C+​

3 PTS / 6 REB / 5 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 21 MIN​

Martin’s near-flawless shooting was absent Saturday night, though he grabbed a few boards and dished some dimes. He didn’t hurt the Mavs, but also didn’t do a whole lot to favorably impact the game. Highlight play: on the opening tip Martin moved as though clairvoyant, getting to a spot before the jump ball was even touched, perfectly positioning himself to gain possession. It was a small thing, but pretty cool to see.

Naji Marshall: B+​

16 PTS / 5 REB / 6 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 29 MIN​

Marshall had a hot hand and did a bit of everything, but his grade takes a hit for the high turnover (3) and high foul (4) totals.

Dwight Powell: A-​

10 PTS / 8 REB / 3 AST / 3 STL / 0 BLK – 27 MIN​

Powell was quietly Powell, grabbing boards, hitting his limited shot opportunities, and setting solid screens — one of which got him free throws when Keyonte George committed a flagrant foul by running him over and pushing him to the ground. His steal total gives his grade a boost beyond his other contributions.

Jaden Hardy: C+​

12 PTS / 1 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 17 MIN​

Hardy can be streaky for sure, and on Saturday his shot could have been better (5-for-13). He did little else and his plus/minus was in the negative for most of the night. Still, he did what you’d want him to do — drop double-figure points in limited minutes.

Moussa Cisse: B-​

9 PTS / 10 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 21 MIN​

Cisse was solid, though some of his stats came in garbage time. He also had the worst plus/minus on the team (-minus-17).

Klay Thompson: A​

23 PTS / 0 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 2 BLK – 20 MIN​

Thompson’s first half alone had him in the “A” range: 7-for-10 from the floor, 6-for-9 from deep, 3-for-3 from the free throw line, 23 points. He even dished two assists around his prolific shooting. He came back down to earth in the second half, but very few minutes played was a factor in that.

Final thoughts​

If you’re on board with Team Tank, you might be a bit chapped to see Utah doing it better than Dallas by sitting players somewhat arbitrarily in both this, and the game Thursday night. Utah is just behind Dallas in the Western Conference standings, so the losses for them are wins from a certain perspective.

I’m not a big fan of intentionally losing, but I would be lying to say a better pick this summer isn’t highly appealing. With the win, Dallas and Utah now have two wins apiece in the season series, but there is a long way to go before game 82 decides the final standings. For now, Dallas continues to look engaged with two-way players and others that don’t get a lot of burn showing up with maximum effort.

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...54873/mavericks-vs-jazz-138-120-klay-thompson

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Stats Rundown: 3 numbers from the Mavericks 138-120 win against the Jazz

The Dallas Mavericks once again humiliated the Utah Jazz, this time by the score of 138-120. This is coming after Dallas trounced Utah on Thursday night, and the Maverick have done this all with a seriously constrained and short-handed roster.

Klay Thompson had another heather, the Mavericks made a bunch of threes, and the Jazz once again didn’t seem to care there was a basketball game being played. Dallas led wire-to-wire and mostly by double-digits.

Saturday’s game was the third time in nine days the Mavs and Jazz faced one another. This fourth and final meeting of the season did not feature Cooper Flagg, who was sitting out his second consecutive game with a left ankle sprain. Despite that, the Mavs held off the Jazz in a win that left the season series split 2-2.

For the third consecutive season, the Utah Jazz are making it increasingly obvious they are tanking. Jusuf Nurkic missed his third consecutive game to rest, Lauri Markkanen missed his second consecutive game due to illness, and the Jazz have a host of players who have been DNP’d in recent games. Meanwhile, a plethora of Mavericks rotation players were out including P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis, and D’Angelo Russell. Despite being shorthanded, the Mavs blew past the Jazz (again). Here are three key numbers from the weekend win.

3: Mavericks with 20-plus points​

For the first time this season, the Mavericks had three players score 20-plus points: Klay Thompson (23) Brandon Williams (22), and Max Christie (22). Jaden Hardy also added 12 points off the bench, Ryan Nembhard with seven, and Miles Kelly with eight. Dallas’s quickness in the backcourt gave Utah fits all afternoon. The dribble penetration left Jazz guards scrambling on the perimeter, seemingly with no answers. Scoring wasn’t the only story, as the Mavs were distributing the ball well, notching 35 assists, tying their season high of 35 in Denver on December 1.

Dallas took care of the ball too, having only 11 turnovers. Utah had 15 turnovers, leading to 30 Maverick fast break points. When Dallas wins the turnover battle, they typically win and proved it tonight. A 3:1 ratio of assists to turnovers is a recipe for success.

6: Made 3-pointers for Klay Thompson​

After making 19 threes on Thursday night against Utah, the Mavs had a curtain call and hit 18 on Saturday afternoon. Dallas shot 18-41 from three, 44%. Klay Thompson led the charge with six, all of them in the first half, going 6-of-11 from distance. There’s a reason he’s fourth on the all-time three pointers made list, behind only Stephen Curry, Ray Allen, and James Harden. The Klay Thompson arc of being continually better from three as a season progresses is a real thing. This time of year, as soon as the ball touches his hands, it’s going up – and probably going in. Thompson also became the 109th player in NBA history to score 17,000 points.

Three-point shooting has been the Achilles heel of the Mavericks, as they’ve sat in the bottom fourth of teams all season long in three-point efficiency, but you couldn’t tell against Utah. The Jazz are 30th in the NBA in defense and letting these Mavericks catch fire two games in a row from three probably isn’t a fluke. The Mavs were shooting into an ocean right out of the gate, going 7-of-12 from three in the first quarter. Dallas led 42-29 after the first quarter and never let off the gas. They scored at least 70 points by halftime for the second game in a row, which was the catalyst enroute to a 138-120 win.

16: Naji Marshall points​

There are only a few certainties in life: death, taxes, and Naji Marshall hitting a paint floater. The nickname “the knife” is fitting since this man can do it all. After putting up 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists in Thursday’s game against Utah, he followed up with 16 points, six assists (team high) and five rebounds.

It’s been reported that the Mavericks prefer not to trade Naji Marshall and it’s easy to see why. In a season full of disappointment, Marshall has been a bright spot, averaging 14.0 points per game, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists on 54% from the floor. He’s also been the definition of durable in his time in Dallas, as he’s played in all of Dallas’s 43 games this season.

Marshall continues to stay steady amidst a wild season. His veteran leadership and competitive nature have kept the Mavs ship from completely sinking (for now).

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...om-the-mavericks-138-120-win-against-the-jazz