RSS Mavericks Team Notes

[Dallas Mavericks]

A year in review: looking back on the year since the Luka Dončić trade

On February 1, 2025, former Mavericks GM Nico Harrison changed the lives of everyone associated with the Dallas Mavericks when he traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in the most shocking trade in recent sports history.

The move sparked immediate outrage and shock from the entire league and resulted in Harrison’s firing nine months later — a swift, but necessary resolution to one of the most shocking betrayals to a fanbase from a sports executive in league history.

Now, nearly a year later, the Lakers will be coming to Dallas for the second time since the trade commenced. Los Angeles’ first trip back — a 112-97 April 9 Lakers win where Dončić dominated the Mavericks to cheers from the American Airlines Center crowd — felt like something out of a sports movie. Home fans rooting for an opposing player throughout the game is exceptionally rare, especially in modern sports, yet it happened in April and I expect it to happen again Saturday.

It’s been a year unlike any other in sports fandom. Here’s a look back at a 12-month span that forever altered the Dallas Mavericks, from the fans to the players to the front office.

February 1, 2025, 11:12 CST: The Tweet​

Late in the evening of February 1, ESPN’s Shams Charania shocked the world when he announced the Dallas Mavericks were trading Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick in a three-team deal that included the Utah Jazz.

Fans across all teams immediately thought the tweet was a farce. “Has Shams been hacked?” started trending on social media and Charania told the Old Man and the Three podcast that his phone was blowing up with questions about if he’d been hacked.

“I answered five people on phone calls, texts I couldn’t, it was literally up to 300 messages,” he recalled.

But the trade was real, stunning the world. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported that night that Harrison “believed defense wins championships” and that the Mavericks had “major concerns” about moving forward with Dončić due to his “constant conditioning issues.”

February 8, 2025: Davis makes debut after fans protest trade​

A week later, the Mavericks hosted the Houston Rockets in Anthony Davis’ debut as a Maverick, but the headlines that day weren’t focused on the game; it was on the scene outside the arena.

Thousands of fans flooded Victory Plaza outside the arena to protest the historic trade. People held signs, chanted
“Fire Nico” and voiced their displeasure at the move. Inside the arena, Davis and the Mavericks defeated the Rockets, but the Mavericks’ new star exited the game in the third quarter with an injury.

For many, the trade was a turning point, ticket sales declined 40% that season after the trade. In November, the team’s 24-season streak of sellout games was snapped.

February 25, 2025: Dončić faces Mavericks for first time​

Dallas traveled to Los Angeles to play the Lakers three weeks later with Harrison in attendance. The Lakers defeated the Mavericks, 107-99, with Dončić securing a triple double in the win. Davis missed the game with an injury.

Inside Crypto.com arena,“ Thank you, Nico!” chants erupted from the Lakers faithful. Harrison was in attendance for the game, and it was likely the last public sporting event where he’d ever receive a positive reception.

April 9, 2025: Dončić returns to Dallas​

Two months after the trade, Dončić returned to American Airlines Center in one of the most surreal games I’ve ever witnessed as a fan. Purple and gold jerseys flooded AAC — which wasn’t uncommon for a Lakers road game, Los Angeles has one of the fiercest fanbases in the NBA — but most of the jerseys had one name: Dončić.

Purple and gold meshed with navy blue and white with the same name donned across the back. The Mavericks played a video tribute before the game for Dončić, who teared up on the sidelines as fans applauded the then-25 year old’s tenure in Dallas that included a 2022 Western Conference Finals run and a 2024 NBA Finals run.

Then, the game started, and if you thought Dončić would start slow due to the emotionof the game, he quickly showed the fans and the world just how big a mistake the Mavericks made.

He lit up the Mavericks, scoring 45 points on 16-28 shooting, including 7-10 from three-point range. Dallas fans erupted with every made basket, almost as if to rebel against their own team. Dončić added eight rebounds, six assists and four steals for good measure, and the Lakers clinched a playoff spot while Dallas dropped yet another game, a common theme for the post-Dončić era.

“It was little bit of both happy and angry, but it’s nice to see some familiar faces here,” Dončić said after the game. “…I really appreciate the fans.”

May 12, 2025: Mavericks win draft lottery​

The Dallas Mavericks defied all odds and won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, despite having just a 1.8% chance to secure the No. 1 pick. It was the first time in franchise history Dallas had moved up in the draft lottery and it put them in position to draft Cooper Flagg.

In June, Dallas did just that, drafting Flagg with the No. 1 pick and beginning a new era of Mavericks basketball. The front office made it clear they were trying to move on and turn over a new leaf. The fans were not yet ready to do so.

November 10, 2025: Tensions boil over​

Harrison had tried for nine months to outlast the fan outrage, hoping a flashy new rookie and visions of him, Davis, and Kyrie Irving would soothe fan’s rage.

It did not.

On November 10, tensions boiled over when the Mavericks faced off against the Milwaukee Bucks. Dallas blew a 13-point 4th-quarter lead, but had a chance to tie the game late after P.J. Washington, who had pleaded with fans to stop their chants during the game, stepped to the line to shoot three free throws with Dallas down 3.

“Fire Nico! Fire Nico! Fire Nico!”

Time seemed to stand still in that moment. With Davis watching from the sidelines with yet another injury, the fans staged their final stage of revolt. They no longer cared if their team won or lost. They only cared about Harrison being gone. Nothing else mattered.

That was when team governor Patrick Dumont knew enough was enough.

November 11, 2025: Harrison fired​

Harrison was fired the next morning and the Mavericks named two co-GM’s, Matt Ricardi and Michael Finley, to lead the front office while they began a search for a new permanent general manager.

After four years as GM, a run that saw Dallas reach the WCF and NBA Finals, Harrison was out just nine months after the trade. Some things are too big to escape, and Harrison learned that the hard way.

January 24, 2026: Dončić returns again​

A year ago, Dallas was a title contender looking to get back to the NBA Finals while the Lakers were facing questions about the direction of their franchise with two aging stars and a lack of appealing draft capital.

Now, everything has flipped.

Los Angeles, fifth in the West, now looks to establish themselves as the contender while Dallas starts a years-long rebuild. Flagg’s quick ascension will provide some comfort for Mavericks fans and gives a glimpse into what the future can hold, but the Mavericks are years away from being in the Finals, while Dončić looks to lead his second franchise to the championship series, hopefully this time with a different ending.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...-back-on-the-year-since-the-luka-doncic-trade

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

NBA Draft Takes of the Week: The riches at the top

At Mavs Moneyball we operate out of an instance of Slack, that’s how we do business, chat, watch games, etc. It’s one of those things I wish we could open to the public (a Discord?) but I don’t have time to manage one more thing. So sometime I’ll come back to a given Slack channel and see enough for an article. The Draft channel is easily the one where things get the most intense. So we’re going to do a weekly post: what is your hottest draft take from this last week of games or watching tape?

Tyler: Christian Anderson Jr. should have more consideration as a potential lottery guy in this class. Anderson was a standout at the FIBA U19 World Cup this summer, earning all-tournament honors. The other two guys to earn those honors? AJ Dybantsa and Mikel Brown Jr., who both should go top 10 in this draft.

On the season, Anderson Jr. is averaging over 20 points and seven assists per contest, while shooting 49% from the floor and over 45% from three. He also plays basically every minute of every game. Anderson Jr. has played 37+ minutes in 17 straight games, going the full 40 in six of them. He’s a workhorse guard who is playing with elite efficiency and orchestrating the entire offense.

Even with the known concerns about his size (just 178 pounds) and athleticism, the Texas Tech product deserves to be in that same tier as your other mid-to-late lottery guards. He’s that good.

Joe: My Hottest take right now is that Dailyn Swain could go as high as late lottery. Not saying he will go that high, but I see the vision. Swain is one of the more intriguing long-term wing bets in this class. He is a 21-year-old two-way connector with size, athleticism, and a game that translates better to the NBA than to a cramped college floor. This season, he is averaging 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting an efficient 56 percent from the field.

The jumper is the clear swing skill at 27 percent from three and 65 percent from the line, but he has improved his production and efficiency every year, keeping his developmental arrow pointing up. Swain impacts games without requiring high usage. He is a good cutter who relocates well, runs the floor hard, and finishes downhill with either hand. In transition, he can handle, pass, and create advantages without forcing shots. As a passer, he plays with feel, even if he occasionally tries to make a difficult read instead of taking the simple one.

Defensively, his versatility drives his value. He can already guard positions one through three and has the frame and mobility to eventually take on some fours in switching schemes. His length, instincts, and movement give him real lineup flexibility at the next level.

The shooting will decide how far he goes. His mechanics and confidence from deep need work, but his efficiency inside the arc, cutting, and transition play already give him ways to score. In an NBA environment with more spacing, his downhill game and defensive impact should pop. If the jumper comes around, Swain profiles as the kind of high-level rotation wing every good team needs.

Kirk: I don’t really contribute much to draft content, I don’t have the bandwidth. But I saw Nathan Grubel appear on Locked on Mavs and how he talked about Cameron Boozer and I felt compelled to dig deeper. And I just don’t get it. The top of the NBA Draft is about selecting someone who can change your franchise. Numbers are numbers but when I’ve watched Boozer I haven’t felt the impact. Maybe I am crazy but pairing him with Flagg seems like a tremendous waste of a pick and fixes none of the current Maverick problems. Of course that would be a nice problem to have, drafting that high I mean, but that whole take from Nathan. doesn’t pass my casual eye test.

Bryan: Darryn Peterson at 21.6p/4.6r/1.9a on 49/42/82 shooting splits is number one with a bullet in this class and the ongoing debate about Cam Boozer or AJ Dybantsa possibly being drafted first instead still confounds me a bit. Peterson is the most complete prospect in this class and will enter the draft process as the best guard prospect since John Wall in 2010. He’s dealt with a hamstring injury that kept him off the court for a long while and affected his ability to move and drive for a while after his return, but he is usually an explosive athlete both vertically and laterally. Darryn’s an outstanding finisher who can do it with craft, finesse, and explosive leaping ability paired with being a fluid ballhandler with an array of moves, counters, fakes and mid-range step-backs.

His most criticized skill after what some believed to be an outlier senior year of shooting has proven to be elite indeed as he’s now a knockdown three point shooter off the bounce (both in iso and PNR) and off the catch (both standstill and as a movement shooter flying around screens). He has yet to turn the ball over this season as a pick-and-roll ballhandler and has flatly been the best scorer on or off ball in the class. Oh, and he’s also the best defensive prospect in the class not named Jaden Quaintance or Caleb Wilson and has been since high school.

This guy is inevitable and frankly the only reason debate rages on about who should be first overall this coming June is because he’s missed time due to the hamstring (an injury that can linger if not fully healed and very easily be tweaked again) and a need for content to fill the draft news cycle (stone, glass house, yadda yadda). If the Mavericks miraculously land the number one pick again, I know who I’m taking.

David S.: My hot take is Keaton Wagler is a lottery pick and I don’t mean at 14th. Stop me when hear something that doesn’t make an NBA scout drool.. Wagler is an 18 year old jumbo secondary initiator with a tight handle that can shoot the three, has great passing skills, and a high IQ player. He is more crafty than athletic, but his height, ability change speeds, shoot, and distribute the basketball make him an elite offensive weapon on and off the ball. Wagler is averaging 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists with only 1.4 turnovers. Wagler is shooting around 40% from behind the arch and 82% from the free throw line.

Defensively Wagler’s length and IQ make him a promising defender in the NBA. On tape he has a long wing span, but we likely won’t know how long til the NBA combine. Physically Wagler will need to add more muscle to his wiry frame be a solid wing defender at the next level.

While I don’t see Wagler as a number one option in the NBA. If he becomes an average defender, he has the tools to help spread the floor for a teams number one option. The 6’6 combo guard will benefit greatly from an Illini deep run in the March Tournament.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...icks-cam-boozer-darryn-peterson-keaton-wagler

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

3 considerations as the Mavericks host the Los Angeles Lakers

The Dallas Mavericks (19-26) host the Los Angeles Lakers (26-17) on a potentially snowy Saturday night at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks are arguably playing their best team basketball of the regular season to date and are currently riding a four-game win streak against a wide variety of opponents. The Lakers visit Dallas after stumbling against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday. Each team has had at least one day of rest in what should be an outstanding primetime game on ESPN.

Here’s three things you should think about before tip-off.

For the love of basketball Mavs fans, no one trash talk Luka, okay?​

Luka Doncic returning to Dallas will be weird until the end of his career. There’s no way around that. But one thing everyone can do is not poke the bear. The middle of the season for Luka has always been hard to give a shit about. You know exactly what I mean by that too. Some games, Doncic just isn’t all that focused and he seeks out things to piss him off. Everyone be very, very nice to him. Shout out about how good he is and remind him that stepback threes are a better shot for him than drives at the rim. No Luka Magic tonight (there will be Luka Magic).

The center minutes for both teams​

On the Dallas side of things, Daniel Gafford should be coming back from injury, Dwight Powell is always and forever, and Moussa Cisse is a bit underripe in terms of experience. And Luka Doncic loves to hunt a center that cannot defend in space (or is his friend in Dwight Powell). While I don’t think Dallas should send doubles at Doncic like last game, how these centers hold up in the mismatches may well determine the game.

For the Lakers, DeAndre Ayton has hit his expiration date for caring and Jaxson Hayes is limited. If neither bigman pulls their weight on the boards, Dallas is going to eat the Lakers up on the glass on both ends of the floor and that may well determine the game.

For either team the center managing to hold might help pull their team across the finish line.

How long can the Mavericks keep this up?​

The Mavericks won five of six games starting in late November. They’ve now won five of six again, starting with that win at home over the Brooklyn Nets on January 12th. The Lakers are not an easy opponent, but I see no reason why Dallas can’t beat them outright on Friday night. The special sauce to winning the drudgery games of January and February is playing hard, and head coach Jason Kidd has the Mavericks playing above their place in the Western Conference. Granted, part of why they’re winning is the red-hot three-point shooting (42.5% in these five wins), but the schedule is shaping up in a way the Mavericks could take advantage of. A win against the Lakers would mean five wins, and they play the Milwaukee Bucks on a short turnaround, but Giannis Antetokounmpo is now out for at least a month with a calf strain, and the Timberwolves have down night,s and then there’s the Spurs… ok, well maybe a seven-game win streak is the length this goes. But a guy can believe, yes?

How to Watch​

This one will be on ESPN starting at 7:30 pm.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...rs-game-preview-espn-luka-doncic-cooper-flagg

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

NBA Power Rankings Watch: The Dallas Mavericks refuse to quit

The Dallas Mavericks may be the hardest playing team in the NBA. They certainly play the hardest among teams not currently in the playoff picture. They’ve accumulated their fair share of dumb losses this season — and stolen several eye-catching wins — but one guarantee every time the ball is tipped is that Jason Kidd’s group is going to give effort. Maybe that says more about the state of the team, that they play hard and still lose a considerable amount, but it’s worth applauding while they ride a win streak amidst the deepest darkest parts of the NBA season.

It is that season best four-game win streak (winners of five of their last six) that highlights this week’s power rankings watch. These next two weeks may tell us a lot about the future direction of this team, with the trade deadline looming. For now, it’s a waiting game.

ESPN​

Ranking: 24​

Last week: 24​

Will Anthony Davis return to the Mavs’ lineup?

The team announced that Davis would be sidelined six weeks because of ligament damage in his left hand. And while the Mavs’ interim co-general managers continue to engage in trade discussions involving Davis, sources said that ownership does not feel pressure to make a deal if Dallas doesn’t get offers that it deems as good value. If Davis remains on the roster past the Feb. 5 deadline, expect discussions about whether it’s in the franchise’s best interest for the star forward to return at all this season. — MacMahon

The Athletic​

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

Last week: 24​

All-Star Weekend rep: Cooper Flagg, Rising Stars

Flagg is the No. 1 overall pick, so this one is easy. But some thought that Flagg may have had a shot at being a rare rookie All-Star. Not happening. The Mavericks had a decent week overall, aided by two home games against a Jazz team sitting Lauri Markkanen. But Dallas is squarely in the bottom five in the West, and that should keep them from having an All-Star for the first time since Luka Dončić’s rookie season.

NBA​

Ranking: 24​

Last week: 25​

• The Mavs scored 124.4 points per 100 possessions during the homestand, their best four-game stretch of offense this season. They saw a jump in 3-point rate in the two games without Flagg, totaling 37 3-pointers over the two games. Additionally, their 12 corner 3-pointers on Thursday were the most for any team this season.
• Klay Thompson shot 20-for-40 from beyond the arc over the homestand and seems to like playing against Utah, as he’s had at least 23 points in each of the Mavs’ last three games against the Jazz. Thompson’s season-long 3-point percentage (37.6%) would still be the worst mark of his career, but he’s shot 42.0% from beyond the arc (sixth among 34 players with at least 150 attempts) since Thanksgiving after shooting 32.1% prior.
• The Mavs are now the only team without a lineup that’s played at least 75 minutes together. Thompson is actually one of three Mavs who have played in at least 40 games, with Naji Marshall the only one who has played in all 43.

Coming up: Thompson has shot 22-for-48 (46%) from 3-point range in his five games against the Warriors over the last two seasons. He’ll face his former team again on Thursday as the Mavs continue a stretch where they’re playing 10 of 13 at home.

Bleacher Report​

Ranking: 23​

Last week: 26​

The Dallas Mavericks are on a four-game winning streak. And although two of those came against the sub-.500 Utah Jazz, and another was over a Golden State Warriors team reeling from the loss of Jimmy Butler to a torn ACL, Monday’s was over the New York Knicks. And wins are wins.

Now, there may be a contingent of fans who’d prefer those not add up right now. The idea of adding one of this upcoming draft class’s top prospects to Cooper Flagg is intriguing. But he might already be too good to tank.

For the season, Flagg is averaging 21.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per 75 possessions when Anthony Davis (who’s out for the foreseeable future and could be traded ahead of the deadline) is off the floor.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...allas-mavericks-espn-athletic-bleacher-report

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

4 Things to Watch for as the Mavericks Visit the Bucks

The Dallas Mavericks (19-27) travel to Milwaukee to play the Bucks (18-26) after losing to Luka Doncic’s Lakers on Saturday. The Mavs had their four-game win streak snapped by the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. After a quick turnaround, they hope to regroup as they enter Sunday’s showdown with the Antetokounmpo-less Bucks, who are coming off a home loss to the Denver Nuggets. Here are three things to think about as Dallas looks to get back on track in Milwaukee.‘

How tired will they be?​

The Mavericks did not get to leave Dallas on Saturday night.

Mavs wanted to fly to Milwaukee tonight but were unable to. They got to the airport but weren't cleared for takeoff. They'll try to get out tomorrow. https://t.co/iYJuGLuNSV

— Christian Clark (@christianpclark) January 25, 2026

Teams always try to travel the night before so players can get some rest and acclimate to the the area they’re playing in. The Mavericks will try to come in hot and eek out a win despite being low on any reasonable amount of energy.

Antetokounmpo Out with Calf Strain​

The misery of the Milwaukee Bucks’ season deepened on Friday night after Giannis Antetokounmpo left the game against the Denver Nuggets with 34 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. It was later revealed he suffered a right calf strain, the same injury that kept him sidelined three weeks earlier this season. He’ll miss 4-6 weeks this time around.

Despite the disappointing year for Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo has played like his MVP self. In 30 games, he’s averaged 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2.3 stocks (steals + blocks). He’s the fifth most efficient scorer in the NBA at 64.5% from the floor. In November’s 116-114 win over Dallas, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 30 points on 11/18 from the floor and eight rebounds. No Antetokounmpo leaves a big hole in the middle. If the Mavs want to keep their win streak alive, they’ll have to expose the paint on both ends of the floor and Milwaukee’s lack of a true big man.

The Bucks’ Offensive Struggles​

The Bucks are a .500 team with Antetokounmpo, but are dreadful without him. In the 14 games he’s missed this season, Milwaukee is 3-11. The Bucks are 27th in the NBA in offensive rating this season at 111.9 points per 100 possessions. With Antetokounmpo, they have an offensive rating of 116.3 points, which would be fifth in the NBA. Without him, they sit dead last in the NBA with an offensive rating of 108.0 points, just behind the Brooklyn Nets. Without Antetokounmpo’s gravity, it’s challenging for Milwaukee to find consistent good looks at the basket.

The next two big men in line for the Bucks are Myles Turner and Bobby Portis, who both spend a lot of time on the perimeter, along with power forward Kyle Kuzma. Without the main cog in the wheel, Milwaukee will try to rely on its shooting to bail them out. They are second in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage at 39.2%.

Milwaukee has scorers, having seven players who average double digits in points: Antetokounmpo (28.0), Kevin Porter Jr. (16.8), Ryan Rollins (16.1), Bobby Portis (13.1), Kyle Kuzma (12.5), Myles Turner (12.4), and A.J Green (10.5). The Bucks’ second-best scorer in Kevin Porter Jr. is out due to an oblique strain. One silver lining for Milwaukee this season has been the growth of guard Ryan Rollins. The 44th overall pick in the 2022 draft by the Warriors found his way on the Bucks roster last season and has propelled himself to a potential future cornerstone. Expect him to have the ball in his hands a lot.

The Mavericks’ Offense Has Been Rolling​

On the Dallas side, they’ve been one of the best paint-scoring teams in this recent stretch of good basketball, getting to the rim at will. The Mavs’ quickness on the perimeter with Brandon Williams, Ryan Nembhard, and Max Christie has allowed them to have their way against opponents inside. Add in the craftiness and ability to get to their spots of guys like Naji Marshall and Cooper Flagg, and defenses have their hands full. Dallas sits at sixth in the NBA in points per game scored in the paint at 53.3. Attacking and finishing against this Bucks defense should be a top priority for the Mavs.

Although the Mavs haven’t been great this season from beyond the arc, they have been better as of late, making double-digit threes in five consecutive games: 10, 13, 15, 18, and 19. Max Christie continues to shoot the lights out as the league’s seventh-best three-point shooter at a scoring 45.7%. Klay Thompson has been on a heater in January as well. In his last five games, he’s 20/42 from distance, 47.6%. Dallas will need to keep knocking down deep shots if it wants to get back in the win column.

How to Watch​

Tipoff is 6 PM and you can watch on KFAA-TV, Mavs.com, or NBA League Pass.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...ee-bucks-game-preview-start-time-cooper-flagg

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks’ Sunday game at the Milwaukee Bucks is postponed

The Dallas Mavericks had a quick turnaround after a 116-110 loss to the Lakers Saturday night. The original plan was for the Mavericks to fly from Dallas to Milwaukee after last night’s game, for their 6 p.m. game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. The massive snowstorm affecting a significant portion of the United States had other ideas.

The Mavs were unable to fly out Saturday night, opting instead to make an attempt Sunday morning. To no one’s surprise, nothing came easy. The NBA announced Sunday afternoon that the Mavericks-Bucks game was officially postponed “due to the Mavericks’ inability to leave Dallas as a result of inclement weather.”

Officially official. pic.twitter.com/mzt0z6kC3R

— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) January 25, 2026

Several reports on Sunday indicated that a make-up date against the Bucks would likely be scheduled on Feb. 19, shortening the Mavericks’ All-Star Break by a day.

Mavs won’t play the Bucks tonight. No announcement from the NBA, but the most likely make-up date for Mavs at Bucks is Feb. 19. Officials hoped Mavs still might get out of Dallas today to play tomorrow in Milwaukee, but frigid temps prevented plane from being adequately de-iced.

— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) January 25, 2026

The Mavs are already scheduled to at the Minnesota Timberwolves on Feb. 20, so as inconvenient as shortening their break may seem, it’s the lesser evil here. Had the Mavericks tried to play the Bucks on Sunday, they likely would have been forced to field a roster that more closely resembles the Texas Legends than a real, competitive NBA team. Cooper Flagg was previously listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game at Milwaukee, and Max Christie was questionable.

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/mavericks-news/55144/maverickss-vs-bucks-game-postponed

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Stats Rundown: 3 numbers to know from the Mavericks 116-110 loss to the Lakers

The Dallas Mavericks lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 116-110 Saturday night in Dallas. It was a very weird, up-and-down game, with the Lakers jumping on the Mavericks early, Dallas storming back in the third quarter, then the Lakers returning the favor in the fourth.

This was former Mavericks star Luka Doncic’s first game back in Dallas this season, and only his second total since the shocking trade to the Lakers last year. Doncic was very good in this game, while the Mavericks struggled offensively outside of that third quarter burst.

It was a disappointing finish for sure, as the Mavericks had a 15 point lead at one point in the fourth quarter. Dallas didn’t get enough from their best players, as Cooper Flagg, PJ Washington, and Daniel Gafford all struggled, with Washington and Gafford putting up some pretty egregious stinkers.

This game snaps the Mavericks three-game winning streak. Onto the stats.

14-to-10: Lakers advantage in 3-point makes​

In a game this tightly contested, the Lakers superior shooting was the biggest difference. Los Angeles won by six in a game they outscored Dallas at the three point line by 12.

The Lakers offense wasn’t doing too much outside of getting hot from three. Luka Doncic had 11 assists, most of them to shooters in the corner. The Lakers were 5-of-12 on corner threes. Dallas on the other hand, couldn’t make much — going 10-of-29 from three overall. This was the first game in what felt like weeks where the Mavericks couldn’t get their drive game going, so a lot of the Mavericks threes were end-of-shot clock, contested looks.

4: Combined points scored by PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford​

It was a disastorious night for two of Luka’s former NBA Finals teammates. Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington were starters with Luka on that 2024 Finals team, but both came off the bench tonight as they are working their way to full health after nagging injuries.

Washington had the bigger stinker of the two, but it wasn’t a great night for either: Washington had two points in 26 minutes on 1-of-5 shooting, with only three rebounds and zero assists. Gafford had two points on 0-of-1 shooting, with two rebounds and two blocks in 16 minutes. At least Gafford had one impact play, a terrific blocked shot in the first half that felt like the first time all season we saw the old Gafford athleticism in action.

The Lakers are top-heavy, after Luka, LeBron, and Austin Reaves (who was out with injury), their depth drops off a cliff. Dallas theoretically has the advantage in depth but when two of their best players play like this? Woof. Dallas needed more from these two, even if they’re still working their way back from injuries.

3: Caleb Martin 3-pointers​

This was a lousy game for Dallas, so I’ll end on a somewhat positive, although funny note: Caleb Martin nearly doubled his season three point total in one game. Martin entered tonight with five made three pointers: he made three, going 3-of-4 from deep.

Martin has been one of the worst rotation NBA players since arriving in Dallas last year, and injuries surely haven’t helped. This is the longest stretch of games Martin has played in the rotation and healthy, and it appears he might be inching back toward his Miami Heat form that earned him that multi-year deal with Philadelphia initially.

Who knows how long this lasts or where it goes. Martin did have six combined points in the previous three games. But Martin showing a pulse matters for a Mavericks team that needs all the help it can get.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...from-the-mavericks-116-110-loss-to-the-lakers

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks rookie sensation Cooper Flagg selected for All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars

This was something of a foregone conclusion, of course, but Mavericks rookie forward Cooper Flagg has been selected to play in the Rising Stars Game during NBA All-Star Weekend next month in Los Angeles.

Flagg will enter the Rising Stars game as one of the league’s marquee youngsters, bringing season averages of 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists into the game through the first 43 games of his NBA career. He’s the only player to rank in the top five in points (second), rebounds (third), assists (fourth), steals (second) and blocked shots (third) per game among rookies this year.

The NBA announced today that Mavericks forward/guard Cooper Flagg has been selected to compete in the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars game at NBA All-Star 2026 in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/yI9uYWMigo

— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) January 26, 2026

Flagg turned 19 on Dec. 21, and before that, had piled up an NBA resume only rivaled by LeBron James as an 18-year-old. On Dec. 15, just six days before his 19th birthday, Flagg became the only 18-year-old in NBA history to record a 40-point game, when he scored 42, brought down seven rebounds and dished six assists in a 140-133 loss to the Utah Jazz. Only James scored more points (625) in NBA history as an 18-year-old than Flagg did this season.

He was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Month for both October/November and for December.

Flagg has been one of the best clutch players in the league all year long, which will give him some consideration in All-Star voting circles, but the selection to the Rising Stars game likely ends his candidacy for an All-Star reserve spot. All-Star Game reserves will be announced on Feb. 1 ahead of the Rising Stars tournament, which will be played on Feb. 13 and the All-Star Game itself, which will be played on Feb. 15. All the festivities will be held at the Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers, in Inglewood, Calif.

Blake Griffin was the last rookie to be named an NBA All-Star in 2011.

The Rising Stars Challenge is a four-team, three-game mini-tournament featuring selected rookies and second-year players split into three teams, with the fourth team in the field made up of players from the NBA G League. Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady will serve as honorary coaches for the Rising Stars mini-tourney. Austin Rivers will coach the G League team.

Third-year Maverick Dereck Lively II participated in each of the last two Rising Stars challenges. The MVP of 2025’s Rising Stars mini-tournament was San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle.

The three 2026 Rising Stars teams, made up of NBA rookies and second-year players, will be drafted on Tuesday. The field of players for the Rising Stars mini-tourney is as follows:

Rookies​

Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies)
Egor Dёmin (Brooklyn Nets)
VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers)
Jeremiah Fears (New Orleans Pelicans)
Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)
Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs)
Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards)
Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)
Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors)
Derik Queen (New Orleans Pelicans)

Sophomores​

Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls)
Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)
Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers)
Kyshawn George (Washington Wizards)
Ajay Mitchell (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Alex Sarr (Washington Wizards)
Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets)
Cam Spencer (Memphis Grizzlies)
Jaylon Tyson (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Kel’el Ware (Miami Heat)
Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies)

NBA G League Players​

Sean East II (Salt Lake City Stars)
Ron Harper Jr. (Maine Celtics)
David Jones Garcia (Austin Spurs)
Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (San Diego Clippers)
Alijah Martin (Raptors 905)
Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix)

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...ected-for-all-star-weekends-rising-stars-game

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Grading the Mavericks: Max Christie should be a part of the future

The Mavericks were 1-1 this past week and remain locked into 12th place in the West. They played both games at home, beating Golden State (123-115) and losing to the Los Angeles Lakers (116-110). Dallas was supposed to fly to Milwaukee for a game on Sunday, but due to inclement weather, the game was postponed. Naji Marshall led the team in scoring with 25.5 points per game. Kyrie Irving (knee) and Anthony Davis (finger) remain out.

Grade: C+​

The Mavericks had a good win against the Warriors. They survived an onslaught from Steph Curry, which, frankly, was breathtaking to witness. Curry had 38 points on 8-of-15 from deep, and each subsequent shot was more incredible than the last. Still, Dallas was able to mitigate the “other guys” and likely got saved from a massive night from Jonathan Kuminga when he exited with an injury after scoring 10 points in nine minutes. Naji Marshall, Max Christie, and Cooper Flagg were all really good, and had the fourth quarter of the Lakers game not happened, this might have been an A+ week.

But the Mavericks get a C+ instead. And yes, that fourth quarter was so bad, it cost them two grades. With 9:38 remaining in the game, the Lakers had put together one of the worst 14.5-minute stretches of basketball I have ever seen to begin the second half. They had scored 14 points until then, and Dallas held a 93-79 lead. From that point forward, Los Angeles outscored the Mavericks 37-17 in just over 9.5 minutes of game time. If you don’t want to do the math, that’s a pace of 187 points per 48 minutes the Mavericks allowed to close the game.

Their defense was putrid, they got stagnant on offense, and head coach Jason Kidd refused to shake things up. Brandon Williams had an excellent run to close the third and was a big reason why Dallas held that lead. But his magic ran out quickly in the final frame, and yet Kidd stuck with him until the clock hit zero. Cooper Flagg was passive and settled. P.J. Washington was in the game, but you could not tell. The lack of a point guard on this team was never more obvious than when Dallas could not get a good shot for what seemed like hours while the Lakers got bucket after bucket on the other end.

And, as horrible as the Lakers’ (and specifically Luka Doncic) defense was in the first three periods, they were just as lights out defensively in the fourth. It was the kind of loss that would have driven everyone mad if the Mavericks were playing for a playoff seeding. With three games in four days this week, they need to flush that collapse and build on the seven quarters they played at a very high level.

Straight A’s: Max Christie​

I could have given Naji Marshall A’s this week, too, but Marshall is just doing what he has done all year. Christie, on the other hand, has added things to his game that he did not have last season, and maybe not even earlier this year. Everyone knows about the shooting: 45.5 percent from 3-point range on 5.8 attempts per game. But what I have been most impressed with is his two-point shot diet. He shot 50 percent on 12 twos this week and showed off some moves that were very mature. One stands out against the Lakers, where he caught the ball in transition, pushed, and used his body effectively on a slow euro-step to go into Jake LaRavia and draw a foul:

He has rapidly improved in his time in Dallas. Christie is just 22 and making under $9 million for the next two seasons. He may be playing well enough to bring in a serious return in trade, but I think it is in Dallas’s best interest to retain him as part of their young core. Much like how I felt about Quentin Grimes, it is important to actually keep some of the young, talented guards you have instead of trading them for cost control purposes. Christie certainly falls in that category and is an excellent complementary piece for a rebuild around Cooper Flagg.

Currently Failing: P.J. Washington​

Washington has not been the same since injuring his ankle against Houston earlier this month. In the three games he has played since, he has scored just 24 points in 79 minutes while shooting 33 percent from the floor. His impact has been overwhelmingly negative, and he just looks off. His head is not there right now, and you can tell by the way he is moving on offense. Every dribble and push shot or floater looks a step slow, and you can see his brain over-analyzing what to do in real time. It’s not a matter of talent, because we all have seen what he can be. Washington just needs to refocus and stop thinking as much when he is out there. With all the trade talk surrounding Dallas, it is probably a good thing for Washington that he cannot be dealt this season. It is in his best interest to focus on playing for the rest of the year without distractions and finish strong.

Extra Credit: Luka Doncic​

Before Saturday’s game against the Lakers, former Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic reached out to 22 online personalities to invite them to the game for a meet-and-greet, as well as a chance to sit in his suite for the action:

Dallas will always be special to Luka

Almost a year after the trade to LA, Luka surprised 22 fans who supported him on social media with a suite for Lakers–Mavs, a pregame meet & greet, and gift bags with Luka Lakers jerseys and his signature shoe. pic.twitter.com/hdznSXx5bv

— ESPN (@espn) January 25, 2026

This group included our very own editor-in-chief, Kirk Henderson, who brought his son with him for an experience they will both remember for the rest of their lives. It was an awesome gesture by Doncic, and one that he absolutely did not have to do. In talking with people who were invited, everyone agreed that he could not have been nicer.

Doncic will always be loved in Dallas. He will never look normal in purple and gold. We don’t know if he has had thoughts about returning to play for the Mavericks one day, but it is clear that he still thinks about the city and the fans regularly.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...s-max-christie-should-be-a-part-of-the-future

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

The Dallas Mavericks are a preventable tragedy

On Saturday night, January 24th, 2026, the Los Angeles Lakers came to town with their new franchise star, Luka Dončić, for his second trip back to Dallas since the trade that shattered everything.

In just a few days, we’ll mark the one-year anniversary of that midnight surrender — the moment Dončić was sent away for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, a future pick, and the kind of package you might offer for a slightly bruised star, not a generational one. I was at my desk that night. I remember staring blankly at the screen as I typed a column called “The Worst Moment in DFW Sports History Is Here.” I meant every word.

And a year later, nothing — not the ping-pong miracle that delivered Cooper Flagg, not the long-overdue firing of Nico Harrison, not even the surreal image of Dončić returning to the AAC as a Laker while gifting 22 fans a luxury suite experience — comes close to eclipsing the emotional and strategic catastrophe of that trade.

Because the truth is simple and brutal: You never close a championship window voluntarily.

In the coming days, as the trade deadline nears, much of the Mavs discourse will focus on what veterans Dallas might ship off. Klay Thompson. Daniel Gafford. Maybe even P.J. Washington. It’s a familiar cycle by now: tear down, reshuffle, pray for the ping-pong balls to be kind again. But I’d ask Mavericks fans to pause — to feel — before submitting fully to this future-tense loop.

Because the real tragedy of this past year wasn’t just the trade itself. It was how easily so many moved on. How quickly the refrain became “we weren’t going to win anyway,” or “he was leaving eventually,” or worse, “he’s not our guy anymore.”

Luka didn’t just put this team back in the national spotlight. He took a roster stapled together by trade deadline grit and dragged it to the NBA Finals. Three wins away from a parade. And the response from the front office? Not joy. Not commitment. But cold calculus and revisionist logic.

Nico Harrison, shortly after pulling the trigger, told reporters:

“The easiest thing for me is to do nothing. Everyone would praise me for doing nothing. We really believed in it. Time will tell if I’m right.”

Patrick Dumont, echoed that detachment just weeks later:

“We got to the championship games and we didn’t win… so we had to decide: how do we get better?”

As if getting to the championship games…ahem, NBA Finals isn’t what every team in the league is begging the basketball gods for. As if three wins short of the mountaintop is cause to abandon the hike altogether.

Here’s the part that gnaws at me. Most teams never get a Luka. Most teams never get a Dirk. They get glimpses. Moments. And if they’re lucky, a window. The Mavericks had one. Open. Real. Proven. And they chose to board it shut.

I’m not saying another Finals run was guaranteed. Of course it wasn’t. Sports don’t offer that. Life doesn’t offer that. But the point isn’t the parade. It’s the pilgrimage. It’s the chance. You stay in the window until time or nature or the laws of basketball physics close it on you. But you don’t quit on it after one failed attempt. You don’t trade the star who took you there for a player on the back end of his prime and a few half-measures. You don’t make a move Babe Ruth-level in consequence and rationalize it with a shrug.

And if you do?

You don’t get to act surprised when the crowd doesn’t clap.

Saturday night wasn’t just a basketball game. It was a requiem. Luka put up 33 and 11 with a +18 in 39 minutes — in that building, against this team. But the stat sheet wasn’t what made the night surreal. It was the suite full of Mavs fans — invited by Luka himself — who came to thank the player this franchise gave up on. Some of them had defended him through the ugliest moments of last year. And he remembered.

But the reaction online, from the “just move on” crowd, was predictable. Scoffs. Side-eyes. “He’s not your guy anymore.”

Except maybe he is.

Because for some of us, caring about a team means not forgetting. It means mourning what could’ve been. It means feeling both pride and heartbreak when the player you raised becomes something historic — just no longer in your jersey. Being a fan isn’t just about who suits up today. It’s also about honoring the ghost of what was supposed to happen. Dirk did not win it all until he did. We cannot say for certain what would have happened had Doncic been allowed to play out his era, but many of us would rather have continued on those train tracks—wherever they may have led.

Cooper Flagg is the future now. And he deserves our full attention, our full hope. But hope doesn’t require amnesia.

The Dallas Mavericks will rebuild. They’ll market. They’ll sell tickets. They’ll hire a GM outside of the sneaker industry. But they will never undo the moment they chose to walk away from a title window rather than walk through it.

And until the next banner is raised — if it ever is — we will remember. We should remember.

Because sometimes the greatest loyalty is found in the refusal to forget.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...he-dallas-mavericks-are-a-preventable-tragedy

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs. Timberwolves Preview: 3 storylines to watch when Dallas hosts Minnesota

As the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex emerges from its three-day winter standstill, the Dallas Mavericks (19-27) get back to regularly scheduled basketball programming on Wednesday, when they host the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves (28-19) at American Airlines Center.

The sudden onset of winter weather caused the Mavericks to miss their game on Sunday in Milwaukee, giving the team an extra day of rest after Luka Dončić and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped the Mavs’ four-game winning streak on Saturday, 116-110, with a furious fourth-quarter comeback.

The Lakers outscored the Mavericks 37-17 in the game’s final 9:35 on Saturday, and wintry precipitation in DFW kept the team’s plane from taking off the following day, giving Dallas an extra day to stew in the melting puddle of misery that has been the 2025-26 season.

With the recent fingy injury suffered by Mavs forward Anthony Davis, we don’t even have much excitement to look forward to with the NBA Trade Deadline little more than a week away. Around these parts, trade deadline hysteria season has given way to injury management season, as both Cooper Flagg (ankle) and Anthony Edwards (foot) are listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game on the NBA’s injury report as of 8:45 p.m. on Tuesday.

The basketball gods have spoken. We do not, in fact, deserve nice things. Even still, here are three storylines to watch when the Timberwolves come to town.

The best ability​

Edwards has played through ongoing right foot issues in recent games, but missed Monday night’s 108-83 win over the Golden State Warriors with what was listed as “right foot injury maintenance.” The fact that he’s generally been able to play through any pain associated with the foot injury, but got the night off on Monday, may point to the superstar guard being available on Wednesday in Dallas. Edwards is averaging 29.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game coming into Wednesday’s matchup. His 29.7 points-per-game average is good for third in the NBA though 46 games, just a hair ahead of Boston’s Jaylen Brown.

Anthony Edwards midseason tape

29.7 PPG I 5.2 RPG I 3.6 APG I 62.5% TS https://t.co/9MhX2QE86E pic.twitter.com/pX8OGiQIa9

— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) January 27, 2026

Flagg is also listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game, getting the same “injury management” designation as Edwards on the latest NBA injury reports. He missed a pair of games, both against the Utah Jazz, less than two weeks ago, so who knows when the rookie star’s next off-day will come. Dallas seems to have two feet traveling in opposite directions, with some remarkable recent wins against seemingly quality opponents but a dismal outlook in the Western Conference standings with little, if any, hope of making noise down the stretch.

If both stars are available for their respective teams on Wednesday, the matchup clearly favors Minnesota, but the Wolves were mired in a muck of their own making before Monday’s win over the Warriors. They came into that game losers of five straight, including losses at Utah and at home to the Chicago Bulls. They’re part of the Western Conference contingent made up of teams that might be good enough to make a deep run even if they’re not laying out a particularly convincing case at the moment.

Shooting ability​

The Timberwolves come into Wednesday’s game fourth in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage (37.2%) as a team. Much has been made of the Mavericks’ inability to shoot the long ball this year and how much the lack of shooting has held the team back in the standings. Entering Wednesday’s game, the Mavericks sit 24th in the NBA in the same category, at 34.5%. Dallas’ recent four-game win streak was largely fueled by 3-point heaters from Klay Thompson and Max Christie. Christie has been the Mavs’ lone bright spot from long range this year, shooting it at a 45.5% clip, good for sixth in the league as a sharpshooter.

Both Edwards (41%) and Jaden McDaniels (42.3%) shoot the 3-ball at above 40% for the Wolves, while big man Naz Reid comes into the game shooting it at a 39% clip. The Timberwolves own most of the matchup advantages against the injury-depleted Mavericks and have the ability to run the home team out of its own gym. What’s plagued Minnesota during its recent run is a lack of focus and leadership that presents itself on the floor as a tendency to turn the ball over and let struggling teams stay in the game long enough for the tide to eventually turn.

Neither team shot it particularly well when the Wolves dominated the Mavericks in the teams’ first meeting, 120-96 on Nov. 17. The Mavericks looked lost with 20 turnovers that night, falling behind by 33 points before the reserves played for most of the fourth quarter in the blowout.

The ability to dictate terms​

The Mavs enter Wednesday’s game with a distinct disadvantage in firepower, with or without Flagg, but the Wolves’ own tendency to coast may be Dallas’ path to another unlikely win. The Mavs have proven their own ability to absorb blows this year. They’re a try-hard bunch. They nip at the heels of superior rosters, and sometimes it works.

All it takes is one or two hot stretches from this or that unsung role player, and the Mavs just have a knack for making games of what on paper appears to be a lopsided matchup. If the Wolves don’t dictate the terms of the Mavericks’ surrender from the opening tip, the Mavs will once again make a game of what should be a blowout loss.

And we’ve seen it a number of times this year — anything can happen if Dallas finds a way to stay in the game when crunch time rolls around.

How to watch​

The Mavericks host the Timberwolves on Wednesday, with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29 and regional sister stations throughout the Mavericks’ viewership area, or you can catch the stream on MavsTV or NBA League Pass where available.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...orylines-to-watch-when-dallas-hosts-minnesota

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMB Lounge: Trade season then All Star break

The NBA Trade deadline is in about a week and seeing the comment count on the previous lounge thread means it’s time for a new one.

As usual this is your one stop shop for talking about whatever in the world you want to. Potential Maverick topics likely include the usual: trades, tanking, and the various prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Trade front has gotten weird. When Anthony Davis went down with his one millionth injury, the market for rumors cleared right up. I hope that’s a good thing because Dallas needs to move someone, they’re too bad to be this expensive. While I’d love for them to keep Naji Marshall, if they can get a future first for him they simply have to. Daniel Gafford should be movable, but there hasn’t been any chatter about him. It’s all very weird. But a lot can change in a week.

As for tanking or pushing towards the play-in… I think the loss to the Lakers broke the hope. That would’ve made five straight wins. But who knows. If thye win half these games going to All Star maybe they give it another go. But I somewhat wish they wouldn’t because…

The guys in the draft rule. I love watching these guys and hearing people argue about them. The top 5 seems to fun and then the depth at guard looks great. This is a real key for the Mavs future. Who is your guy at the moment?

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/mavericks-rumors/55249/mmb-lounge-trade-season-then-all-star-break

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMBets — Mavericks vs. Hornets: Rookie Bowl

Dallas gets dropped straight into the deep end after the weather-forced pause, hosting Charlotte on a night where both teams are on the second leg of a back-to-back. The Hornets arrive with a lot of January buzz and a shiny offensive profile, while the Mavericks quietly sit in a familiar role: short home dog, still not fully trusted by the market.

Let’s scan the lines in search of value.

Fixture:
Charlotte Hornets (20–28, 11–15 Away)
@ Dallas Mavericks (19–28, 14–13 Home)
American Airlines Center — Dallas, TX
7:30 PM CST, January 29, 2026
KFAA-TV / NBA App

DraftKings Odds (as of 2:30 AM CST):
Spread: Hornets -4.5 (-102) | Mavericks +4.5 (-118)
Total: 227.5 (O -115 / U -105)
Moneyline: Hornets -166 | Mavericks +140

Game Side Pick: Mavericks +4.5

Charlotte’s been the league’s January darling — hot from deep, elite in net rating, and finally playing with the kind of rhythm that moves markets. On paper, they’ve earned their favorite tag.

But tonight’s context reshuffles things. Dallas had key players sit versus Minnesota, giving them fresher legs than a normal back-to-back team, and they’ve quietly led the league in opponent three-point percentage this season. That strength shows up exactly where Charlotte wants to live — on the perimeter, in rhythm, with space.

Player Props:

Max Christie Over 2.5 Three-Pointers Made (-129)

Charlotte’s defensive attention is likely to tilt toward the primary creators, which keeps Christie in the flow as a release valve on the perimeter. In a matchup that projects toward pace and scoring, this number feels a touch light for a shooter who sports a green light along with Klay Thompson. Coming off a down game, we get a bit of value here.

Moussa Diabate Over 9.5 Points (-108)

Front-court players usually have nice nights facing a decimated Mavs front court. That should hold true here.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...ericks-vs-hornets-rookie-bowl-and-trade-smoke

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs Hornets Preview and Injury Update: Cooper vs Kon

DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 11: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the game against the Charlotte Hornets during a pre-season game on October 11, 2025 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Dallas Mavericks (19-28) host the Charlotte Hornets (20-28) on Thursday night. Dallas is playing the second night of a back-to-back, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. The Hornets have won 4 in a row and look great as they try to surge up the standings. It’s a fun night for the Mavericks as they retire the jersey of 1981 number overall pick Mark Aguirre, a much overdue event.

Heres the main things you need to know before tipoff.

• WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Charlotte Hornets
• WHAT: Retiring Mark Aguirre’s jersey
• WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
• WHEN: 7:30 pm CST
• HOW: KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV streaming, NBA League Pass

Both Cooper Flagg and Klay Thompson are playing tonight after missing the last game with variations on injury management. Brandon Williams is questionable with an ankle injury. Naji Marshall is getting the game off after not missing a game all season. Moussa Cisse is questionable as well. Grant Williams and Mason Plumlee are missing this game for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is listed as probable with a left ankle injury.

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Expect a charged game for the Mavericks. Dirk Nowitzki’s expected to be in the building along with Isaiah Thomas to see Aguirre’s jersey retired. It’s going to be an emotional thing for Aguirre. As for the game itself, I think Flagg and Kon go at it in a major way. The Charlotte Hornets are playing much better ball as of late and Dallas might be heading the opposite direction. Institutionally, the Mavericks are tanking, but do not tell the players that. It should be a much better game than the Wolves game where Dallas loooked nearly listless.

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 the Mavericks 123-121 loss to the Charlotte Hornets

DALLAS, TEXAS - JANUARY 29: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks and Kon Knueppel #7 of the Charlotte Hornets talk after the game at American Airlines Center on January 29, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In a game that was billed as a historic clash between two rookie sensations, Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel both delivered in a back and forth game that Dallas lost 123-121.

Flagg poured in a historic 49 point game, while Knueppel exploded for 34, including the game winning free throws.

To the grades!

Cooper Flagg: A+​

49 PTS / 10 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 38 MIN​

When the Mavericks drafted Cooper Flagg, it singlehandedly saved the franchise, and so far he has far exceeded every single lofty expectation.

His defense, passing, and IQ were to be expected, but this kind of scoring output was seen as an eventual ceiling, not an immediate skill. Many draft analysts even questioned if he could ever be a number one option.

Scoring at this level at his age has never been seen before, as he became the first teenager to ever score more than 45 points in a game, something even Lebron could not accomplish.

While this season has been tough to get through, games like this are why we tune in every single night, because you never know when Cooper Flagg will make history.

P.J. Washington: D-​

14 PTS / 9 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 2 BLK – 35 MIN​

P.J. Washington has not been good this year, and when the Mavericks have needed him, he has come up short.

While his box score numbers aren’t bad, his efficiency was terrible, and he frequently hijacked possessions with ill-advised drives.

If P.J. continues this kind of play, the Mavericks have to seek out trade suitors for Washington.

Daniel Gafford: C​

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

It is not a hot take to say that Daniel Gafford is currently the worst center on the Mavericks roster.

Now, whether it due to injury, or a lack of Luka lobs, Gafford has simply been bad for most of this season. His usual effort and energy has not been felt, and his automatic shot making around the rim has abandoned him.

Until he can get fully healthy, the Mavericks should continue to give more minutes to both Moussa Cisse and Dwight Powell.

Caleb Martin: B​

6 PTS / 11 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 2 BLK – 27 MIN​

Perhaps the most shocking turnaround this season has been Caleb Martin, who has become a valuable role player for this team.

This game in particular showcased his defensive value, as he contributed 3 STOCKS, and was flying around all game long.

If the Mavericks choose to move off of some of their wing depth at the trade deadline, Martin seems poised to take on a larger role.

Max Christie: C​

13 PTS/ 3 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 29 MIN​

The Cormac caravan has unfortunately ground to a halt due to Christie’s recent cold stretch.

The Mavericks desperately missed his shooting in this game, as he went only 1-7. This type of shooting from Christie usually spells doom for their chances, as there isn’t going to be shooting from many others on the roster.

Hopefully Christie can break out of his slump, because the Mavericks cannot survive without him.

Klay Thompson: B-​

16 PTS / 3 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 27 MIN​

With the trade deadline 1 week away, we may be approaching the final games for Klay Thompson in a Maverick uniform.

Klay was solid in this game, but his defense on Kon Knueppel left much to be desired, as the rookie sniper had plenty of success generating space.

If Klay does get traded, I have no doubt that he can still provide a spark of scoring off the bench.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...316/player-grades-recapping-mavericks-hornets

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Cooper Flagg just played one of the best basketball games by an NBA rookie, ever

DALLAS, TEXAS - JANUARY 29: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks makes a move to the basket against Moussa Diabate #14 of the Charlotte Hornets during the fourth quarter at American Airlines Center on January 29, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Only eight NBA rookies have ever scored more points in a game than Cooper Flagg did in the Dallas Mavericks’ (19-29) heartbreaking 123-121 loss to the Charlotte Hornets at American Airlines Center on Thursday.

Wilt Chamberlain scored 52 or more points five times in his rookie season of 1959-60 and owns the single-game rookie scoring record of 58 points, which came against the New York Knicks on Feb. 21, 1960. Five years later, Rick Barry scored 57 points as a rookie, also against the Knicks. Earl “The Pearl” Monroe scored 56 as a rookie in 1968 against the Los Angeles Lakers, and Milwaukee Bucks’ rookie Brandon Jennings went out of his mind for 55 against the Golden State Warriors in 2009. Jennings matched Elgin Baylor’s high-scoring game as a rookie 50 years after Baylor scored 55 for the Minneapolis Lakers against the Cincinnati Royals. Elvin Hayes scored 54 against the Detroit Pistons in 1968, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 51 against the Seattle Supersonics in 1970 and Allen Iverson scored 50 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1997.

That is the rarified air that Flagg entered on Thursday with his 49 points on 20-of-29 shooting, to go along with 10 rebounds against his former Duke roommate Kon Knueppel and the Hornets. Flagg’s 49 points also matched the rookie-season-high scoring mark of some guy named Michael Jordan. His Airness poured in 49 in a 136-129 win over the Detroit Pistons on Feb. 12, 1985 in the most prolific scoring outburst of Jordan’s rookie campaign.

Rookies just don’t do the things that Flagg does — and that’s before you take into account the fact that Flagg started doing these things as an 18-year-old. Scoring 49 points in an NBA game at Age 19 is unheard of. Chamberlain was 23 years old when he rewrote the NBA record books as a rookie in 1959-60. Barry was 21 and nine months when he scored 57 points in a game during his rookie season. Jennings was a full year and change older than Flagg when he scored 55 points as a rookie for the Bucks. Iverson was two months shy of 22 when he scored 50 as a rook. Flagg became, with Thursday’s performance, the youngest player in NBA history (19 years, 35 days) to record a 45-point game.

Mavericks fans have seen some things, man. The 2011 NBA championship was a basketball fairy tale written by a team that zigged when the entire league was mid-zag, with the unlikeliest of protagonists at center stage. The rise of basketball savant Luka Dončić in our own backyard was the stuff of legend, made all the more quizzical by his untimely ouster. When it’s all said and done, though, the Legend of Flagg has the potential to move all that to one side if his career continues on the trajectory his rookie season has taken off on.

COOPER up to 44pts! New career high and new Mavs rookie all time scoring high! pic.twitter.com/ByEV3e8JOp

— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) January 30, 2026

When people tell you who they are, it’s wise to believe them. When people show you who they are and what they’re about, you’re left with no choice in the matter. Flagg’s ability to take over a game is no mere flash in the pan. He shows us the fundamentals that gird his game-changing, high-flying explosiveness on a night-in, night-out basis. His game isn’t perfect, but he’s already shown a unique aptitude for learning on the fly and improving the weak spots in his game on the job as the youngest player in the league. Just wait until he’s had a full NBA offseason or two under his belt.

This kid is already a certified monster. He’s an omega-level mutant in a world of superheroes — there appears to be no upper limit to the development of the powers he possesses. Flagg defends better than any rookie we’ve seen take a swim through Dallas, both in passing lanes and on the ball. He can get to the rim against basically anyone. His mid-range game could fool a casual fan into believing they’re watching the savviest vet in the game. If Flagg ever becomes a true 3-point shooter and if he can cut his turnovers by a third, he’s going to be the best player in the NBA one day.

All that is to say nothing of Flagg’s most impressive skill — the ability to elevate his game in the final five minutes of a close game. He’s a killer. His game-tying 3-pointer on Thursday over the outstretched arm of 6’10” forward Moussa Diabate with 33 seconds showing on the clock is just the latest evidence of Flagg’s latent greatness, magnified when the lights are at their brightest.

The lumps he’s taking with a ragged roster around him in his rookie season will serve Flagg well, as long as the Mavericks’ front office can get its shit together behind whoever is inserted into the captain’s chair as the team’s next general manager. As exciting as Flagg’s rapid on-the-job development has been to watch in his rookie season, his demeanor is the glue that will eventually hold a winning team together.

“It’s tough,” Flagg said in his postgame press conference on Thursday. “We fight the whole game, play really heard, stick together, give ourselves a chance to win. It’s tough, but there [are] a lot of positives we can take from this. … With the turnover, I’ve just got to be better. I haven’t seen a ton of double-teams closing out games, so I just have to be a lot better.”

This is not a young man getting in over his skis or drunk on his own power. This is a kid who knows only winning and has a thirst to get back to his regularly scheduled dominance as soon as the roster around him allows for it.

“Ten-plus years down the road, we’ll both be looking back on this as a pretty special thing,” Flagg said on Thursday. He was referring specifically to his in-game battle with his friend Knueppel, who piled up 34 points on eight made 3-pointers for the Hornets in the win, but Mavs fans are no doubt envisioning another “pretty special thing” when they peer 10 years into Flagg’s potential career arc.

It’s hard not to, even as we recover from a deep burn less than a year old, because we’re bearing witness to things already in Flagg’s rookie season that few fans are lucky enough to catch a glimpse of. Let’s not take this for granted. The history books suggest not to.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...e-best-basketball-games-by-an-nba-rookie-ever

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Should the Mavericks Trade Naji Marshall?

DALLAS, TEXAS - JANUARY 24: Naji Marshall #13 of the Dallas Mavericks is defended by Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at American Airlines Center on January 24, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The trade deadline is less than a week away, and the Mavericks are expected to be active. Following Anthony Davis’s injury that derailed any trade talks for the 10-time All-Star, the focus has shifted to other key rotational pieces for the Mavericks. Naji Marshall, in particular, has been a player teams have reportedly been making calls on. Should the Mavericks consider dealing him? Should they hang onto him as a building piece around Cooper Flagg? Let’s take a look at both sides.

The Case for Trading Marshall​

Naji Marshall is a fan-favorite, and it’s easy to see why. The six-year veteran forward is averaging career highs this season in points per game (14.7), rebounds (4.9), and assists (3.0). Marshall also ranks 16th in the NBA in field goal percentage at 54.4%. In his last seven games, he’s averaging 20.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Half of his production this season is coming off the bench, all the more impressive, which makes him an attractive piece to many teams.

The NBA doesn’t have many Naji Marshalls anymore—gritty, grindy, competitive guys who can do it all. Many fringe contenders are thirsty for wings, especially those that can create and defend. Marshall is a versatile wing who can guard one through four and can also be the catalyst for running an offense, especially coming off the bench. The playoffs rely heavily on bench depth, and Marshall is the perfect missing piece many teams could talk themselves into pursuing.

The Mavericks have been adamant in the asking price for Marshall – at least one future first round pick, according to NBA Insider Marc Stein. It’s widely believed some teams would be willing to meet Dallas’s demands.

Naji Marshall just turned 28. Cooper Flagg just turned 19. Every roster building decision the Mavericks make moving forward should be based on Flagg’s timeline. Although Marshall is a fun watch and a great locker room guy, Dallas has to prioritize accumulating future assets to build around Flagg. If a team calls offering a decent first round pick selection, the Mavs should consider taking it.

The Nico Harrison timeline and vision of competing now is done and out the window. The focus should be on building a championship team around Flagg’s timeline. Naji Marshall doesn’t fit that. The second part of this is the money. Marshall is on the second year of his team-friendly deal of $27 million over three years. After next season, He’ll be due a much larger pay day. As of now, Dallas doesn’t have the financial flexibility for a Marshall pay raise. And even if they did, giving a larger contract to a player that would be about to turn 30 doesn’t make much sense.

Dallas has an opportunity to surround Flagg with younger talent that fits with his timeline. Teams are calling, and the Mavs should be listening.

The Case for Keeping Marshall​

The other side of the coin is keeping him and hoping the Mavericks can flip other players like Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, and Anthony Davis. Doing so would give Dallas opportunities to accumulate future picks while finding financial flexibility. Dallas can’t be bad and be a second-apron team. That’s a nightmare scenario.

Keeping a guy like Naji Marshall could be beneficial for Dallas’s hopes in getting back into the playoff picture for next year. As of now, Dallas does not control its own pick from 2027 through 2030. Meaning the Mavs have no motivation to be bad and hope for more draft luck. Going into next season, the organization will likely want to refocus on competing in the West once again.

Naji Marshall would be a key player in a deep (and hopefully healthier) roster next season. Kyrie Irving coming back would fix many of the point guard woes the Mavs have endured this season. Plug in a healthy (again – hopefully) Dereck Lively II, plus Max Christie, P.J Washington, and year two of Cooper Flagg, you have some real pieces that could make Dallas at minimum a .500 team next season. Dallas would also have a top 10 pick from the 2026 draft to add to this mix. And what if the Mavericks don’t trade Anthony Davis? All of a sudden, you could talk yourself into this team being a top six team in the West next season. Naji Marshall would be an important piece of that roster.

Marshall is also a durable player. He’s only missed one game this season and is the definition of reliable when it comes to health in Dallas (and boy, have the Mavs needed it). He shows up, plays hard every night, competes, and hits floaters in his sleep. Naji Marshalls don’t just grow on trees and having his energy on both ends is crucial if the Mavs want to take a big leap forward in the win column next year.

If you look at the roster and think a healthy Mavericks team could contend next year, it’s easy to see Naji Marshall being a part of that. Dallas will still have to make moves to create more financial flexibility, but that doesn’t necessarily have to involve Naji Marshall. It would get more complicated at the end of next season once his contract is set to expire, but that’s a bridge that could be crossed at that time. For now, he’s been a silver lining in a largely disappointing season for Dallas.

Trade Deadline is February 5th​

The trade deadline is next Thursday, February 5th, at 3 PM EST. The Mavericks have some important decisions to make. Perhaps the most important is should Dallas keep Marshall and try to run it back next year with a healthier roster? Or reshape the timeline around Cooper Flagg and focus on the future?

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/mavericks-rumors/55300/should-the-mavericks-trade-naji-marshall

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs Rockets Final Score: Houston escapes Dallas, 111-107

HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 31: Max Christie #00 of the Dallas Mavericks plays defense during the game against the Houston Rockets on January 31, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Dallas Mavericks fell to the Houston Rockets on Saturday night in a grindy, back-and-forth affair, losing 111-107. Amen Thompson led Houston with 21 points eight rebounds, and nine assists. Cooper Flagg was stellar in defeat, scoring 34 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing five assists.

Both the Mavericks and the Rockets started the game with many, many bricks. When Dallas called a timeout down 13-8 at the six-minute mark, the two teams had shot a combined 8 of 26 from the field. Flagg and Durant come out of the stoppage dualing, with the former driving the lane with authority and the latter connecting on beautiful jumpers. Dallas managed to hang with Houston early as Alperin Sengun seemed to forget how to play basketball, missing all six of his attempts in the quarter. Brandon Williams’ efforts helped keep Dallas in the mix late into the frame with his paint probing, but Houston would end the quarter up 31-28.

The second frame saw the Rockets continue to take Dallas lightly. The Mavericks went shot-for-shot in the first six minutes of the quarter. Following a Houston timeout, the Rockets finally managed to string together a few defensive possessions while converting on the other end. Sengun finally broke the seal on the basket at 5:05 to give the Rockets a five-point lead, forcing a Jason Kidd timeout. The lead grew to as large as eight, with Dallas managing to chop into it in the closing the lead to three with 30 seconds to go. But a Jabari Smith ally-oop and Durant three gave the Rockets an eight point lead heading into the half.

After outworking Houston on the boards on both ends in the first half, Dallas got hammered on the glass in the opening minutes of the third quarter. The Rockets grew their lead to 13 twice before Kidd called a timeout to settle the troops. The Mavericks just kept coming and had a chance to cut it to four on a Caleb Martin lay in, only he was blocked by two Rockets which led to a Houston three on the fast break. Martin later atoned with a made three and a free throw to cut the lead to five. Dallas entered the fourth down 87-82.

The final frame was more of the same: good basketball from both teams, with Houston being just a bit better. The Rockets managed to hold a double-digit lead for a significant portion of the period, but the Mavericks kept firing away. Klay Thompson’s back-to-back threes around the six minute mark gave the Mavericks some momentum and a Flagg bucket with a foul gave Dallas a chance to make it a clutch game with under four minutes remaining. But he missed the free throw and Durant answered the possession to give Houston an eight point lead. Daniel Gafford made free throws actually did make this a clutch game with 2:30 to go and followed that up with a loose ball dunk to pull Dallas within two. The Mavericks and Rockets traded baskets only for Marshall to tie the game at 107 with 50 seconds left. Sengun answered the next possession with a post bucket and Dallas called a timeout wth 29 seconds to go. Flagg drove to the basket on the ensuing possession and pushed it too hard (there may have been uncalled contact). Dallas failed to foul and gave up an open court dunk. Houston escaped Dallas, 111-107.

Have to make your free throws, guys​

In a four point loss, the Mavericks missed 11 free throws. That can’t happen. The margins for the Mavericks are too tight most games, they’re *right there* in many contests so these self inflicted wounds really hurt. Flagg and Naji in particular missed seven and that will gnaw at them following this one.

Amen Thompson, everywhere all at once​

Thompson’s the kind of player I struggle to explain to casuals. Everyone sees the top tier athleticism, but they also see the really bad three point shooting percentage. Here’s what I see: a guy who appears all over the basketball court. I don’t know how many deflections he had in this game, but his two steals don’t tell the tale. He pestered every passing lane he was near. Offensively, he grabbed five offensive rebounds. As a forward, that’s ridiculous. His nearly 80% free throw shooting tells me there’s some hope yet to his shot, so this is a guy NBA watchers should keep a close eye on.

Extra Rockets possessions doomed Dallas​

Dallas took 16 fewer shots than the Rockets. While they did reasonably well on the defensive glass in spurts against Houston, they didn’t do good enough, surrendering 18 (Dallas didn’t do bad themselves, grabbing 11). But if you get beat on the boards and turn the ball over more (11 to 6 in favor of Houston with fewer), then it’s really hard to win the game.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...l-score-xx-xx-recap-cooper-flagg-kevin-durant

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Stats Rundown: 3 numbers to know from the Mavericks loss to the Rockets

Jan 31, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) and Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) shake hands after the game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks lost 111-107 to the Houston Rockets Saturday night, the Mavericks fourth loss in a row. Cooper Flagg had another outstanding game, but it wasn’t enough as other Mavericks struggled to support the superstar rookie.

Flagg had 34 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists. The Rockets had a much more balanced attack, with all their starters in double-figures, with Amen Thompson leading them with 21 points.

This was a back-and-forth game, with the Rockets extending to double-digit lead in the fourth quarter, only for the Mavericks to make a furious rally to tie the game in the final minute, before Alperen Sengun made the game-winning layup with 28.6 seconds left.

Dallas still sits outside the play-in picture at 11th and is now four games back of 10th. Onto the stats we noticed.

1: Teenagers with consecutive 30-point double-doubles​

Cooper Flagg is ridiculous. He scored a historic 49 points against the Hornets on Thursday, the highest points scored in a single game by a teenager in NBA history, and the Mavericks record for points by a rookie. His encore was a delicious 34-point, 12 rebounds, five assist performance against a great Rockets defense — on the road no less.

Flagg started off a bit slow (for his rising standards), but exploded in the fourth quarter. According to the box score, Flagg was 9-of-13 in the paint. He continually went straight at the Rockets best perimeter defenders like Thompson and Tari Eason. Flagg stumbled a bit in the final possessions, and his final attempt to tie the game was wild drive at the rim right at Thompson, but Flagg will learn. It’s just crazy how polished he is as a scorer, without his jumper being consistent.

27.3: Naji Marshall’s field-goal percentage​

Marshall had an absolutely killer January shooting nearly 60 percent from the field entering tonight, but this was a rough one. Marshall was 3-of-11 from the floor and scored only eight points. It’s his lowest point total of the month.

Dallas desperately needed someone else to join Flagg in his scoring barrage, and Marshall has usually been the guy. It was an off night for Marshall, and Dallas couldn’t recover.

18: Houston offensive rebounds​

Houston leads the league in offensive rebounding, and they dominated the Mavericks on the glass tonight, even without injured Steven Adams.

The Rockets had 18 offensive rebounds, and combining that with only six total turnovers, they won the possession game decisively. Houston had 108 shot attempts compared to 92 for Dallas.

Flagg and Marshall were Dallas’ leading defensive rebounders, with 11 and seven respectively. Starting center Daniel Gafford had another poor defensive rebounding game. He had 11 overall, but only six of those were defensive boards. The Mavericks simply needed more from their starting center in this one.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...o-know-from-the-mavericks-loss-to-the-rockets

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

The Dallas Mavericks must reevaluate their path forward

DALLAS, TX - JANUARY 29: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on January 29, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

As the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaches, it’s time for the Dallas Mavericks to reevaluate their path forward in building around Cooper Flagg. Dallas is at a crossroads, left with limited assets and aging, injury-prone sidekicks following Hurricane Nico. Following Anthony Davis’ hand injury and Kyrie Irving potentially nearing a return to play, the Mavericks brass need to shift their priorities to put their young and budding superstar in Flagg in a position to succeed. Success is fragile, and we have all seen how quickly it can be thrown away. It’s key that the Mavericks finally build around their young star the right way. They only have one opportunity to build around Flagg, and here are some key points Patrick Dumont and company need to consider in doing so.

Get serious about your General Manager search​

Following Nico Harrison’s dismissal, the Mavericks have opted to run their front office by committee, naming Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi as co-interim general managers. According to The Athletic, the pairing will remain in that position until springtime. This will allow the Mavericks to have access to potential candidates who are currently employed. Dallas clearly prefers having a candidate with prior front office experience after Harrison tore apart the franchise. Harrison took over the reins when the Detroit Pistons hired Dennis Lindsey, previously an advisor to Harrison. Many attribute the success that resulted in the Mavericks 2024 Finals Run to the brains of Dennis Lindsey, and Dallas will have the opportunity to poach him or another executive in the offseason.

When the Adelson family bought the Mavericks, we were told they were the type of people willing to spend money on the team. While we are yet to see that come to fruition, they need to heavily pursue a competent executive to pick up the pieces of Hurricane Nico. Dumont has seemingly committed to getting the Mavericks on the right track to build around Flagg, but deciding who is responsible for getting the job done can be the difference between contention and mediocrity.

A Davis/Flagg/Irving core is nothing more than a concept that will never work​

The concept of a Davis/Flagg/Irving core is nothing more than an “on paper” idea that will never pan out. Davis has a history of getting injured about every five games he plays in Dallas. He’s played 20 total games this year, and history is not in his favor for staying on the floor. Add that to Irving’s situation; he’s nearing 33 years old, returning from a year-long absence due to an ACL tear. When he comes back, there is no guarantee that he will be the same player he was last season before the injury. According to reports, Dumont wants to see the trio of Flagg/Irving/Davis play together before making any “premature” decisions on Dallas’ future. This is a losing bet that only hurts Flagg’s growth as a player and the Mavericks ability to build a competent roster around him.

At this point, Davis will at least remain a Maverick through the offseason. It is hard to imagine that there will be a list of teams lining up out the door to acquire his services because of his contract and inability to stay on the floor for more than five games at a time. If the Hawks or Raptors are willing to rekindle trade discussions, Dallas needs to move past the concept of the trio and shift its priorities to building around Flagg’s future.

Recuperate lost assets​

The Mavericks flushed all of their future draft assets down the drain after spending the last seven seasons building a competitive team around Luka Doncic. Following the 2026 Draft, they don’t own another pick of their own until 2031. They need to be in the market for dealing guys like Naji Marshall and Klay Thompson, who have both driven interest among the league, for first-round picks, and not settle for a deal with a second, or two, thrown in. Dallas would be mistaken to not at least try to call up teams like the Thunder, Spurs, and Hornets to see if there is any interest in sending Dallas one of their picks back. The CBA emphasizes building through the draft, and we have seen how that can lead to success in Oklahoma City. Dallas struggled to draft players to fit around Doncic, and they have to get it right this go-around with Flagg.

Flagg has continued to show over the course of the season that he is a budding superstar, and his 49-point performance Thursday night against the Hornets was another reminder that the sky is his limit. Dallas needs to reprioritize their future to build a competitive team around Flagg, and if the time to realign its focus wasn’t yesterday, it’s now.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...ks-reevaluate-path-forward-flagg-davis-irving