The Mavericks were 1-3 this past week and fell to 12th place in the West. They beat Denver (131-130) in a nationally televised thriller, then dropped three straight to Golden State (126-116), Sacramento
(113-107), and Portland (125-122). Cooper Flagg led the team in scoring this past week with 24.5 points per game. Kyrie Irving (knee) remained out, and Anthony Davis missed the last two games with a groin and adductor injury.
Grade: C-
The Mavericks exclusively play fun games. They have played four more clutch games than any team in the NBA (26), but are just 10-16 with a -3.3 net rating in those games. They played three such games this week, and the Christmas game against the Warriors was one point away from being a clean sweep. Playing up and down to the competition is not a product of this specific roster, but it is a Jason Kidd staple. This team just happens to do it really well.
For a team with next year’s draft pick being the only one of their own until 2031, every win is a win, and every loss is also a win. Losing these fun, close games is the best way to lose and a long way from the incredibly boring start to the season. However, due to some Cooper Flagg and a lot of effort, they are easy to root for, so losses to the Kings and Trailblazers do sting, especially when those games were there for the taking.
Because of this, they cannot earn anything better than a C-. The Christmas game in San Francisco never felt close, and the Kings embarrassed Dallas in the first half on Saturday. They had the Trailblazers game in their hands, but could not close the deal late when Naji Marshall missed a potential game-winning three with no one near him. It is also disappointing how little production the Mavericks have gotten from their center position, which was the deepest spot they had entering the year. Davis cannot stay healthy, Dereck Lively is out for the year, and Daniel Gafford simply is not good enough to impact the game right now.
Despite the negatives, I would be remiss to not mention that the Mavericks started the week with an awesome win at home against Denver. It was the most fun game of the year and had everything you want: multiple blown leads, big dunks, and a finish that came down to the final play, where Mavericks fans held their breath as Peyton Watson had shootaround for a chance to win the game:
Straight A’s: Brandon Williams
The Mavericks have had a bit of a carousel at guard all season. Brandon Williams is the latest player to step off and take the reins. He has played 30 minutes each of the last two games, scoring 26 and 22 points on 9-of-12 and 8-of-12 shooting, respectively. Williams is an incredibly talented player, and before the season, I noted that his upside could be the starter for this team. His shooting and injuries to begin the year held him back for a while, but coach Kidd has leaned on him recently as his creation is something the Mavericks simply do not have. He started the second half on Monday night, so it will be interesting to see if he remains there on Thursday against Philadelphia.
Currently Failing: Ryan Nembhard
Unfortunately, there are two sides to every coin, and Nembhard appears to be the side face down. I like Nembhard a lot and do not think this recent stretch is indicative of his long-term value, but he was not great the past week. He averaged just six points in 20.8 minutes a game over those four games, and shot 39.3 percent from the floor. His size is definitely an issue, and as teams have more tape on him, his weaknesses become easier to exploit. Still, he is the best passer on the team and gets guys into position in a way no one else can. But when the shooting isn’t there, it is hard to justify big minutes for him. At some point, it will come back, and you won’t be able to take him off the floor. Right now, however, Williams is providing Dallas with more production.
Extra Credit: Cooper Flagg
Flagg had the worst half of his young career Saturday in Sacramento. He had two points, did not make any of the four shots he attempted, and turned the ball over four times. The Mavericks trailed 59-44 at the break in that game, and Flagg was a huge reason why. What does he respond with after halftime? How about 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting and 3-of-3 from deep to help the Mavericks rally and give them a chance to steal the game back. More than that, he had 15 points in the first six minutes of the third quarter to cut the deficit from 15 to three. We knew he was tough; he has proven his grit time and time again. But resolve like that to bounce back so quickly and with so much conviction is impressive stuff from the barely-19-year-old. That run to open the half was a “wow, okay” moment that you get when you can tell a guy is not cut from the same cloth as everyone else.
