The Utah Jazz came back to defeat the Dallas Mavericks in overtime, 140-133.
The Mavericks got things started quickly, to the tune of a season-high 43-point first quarter, powered by an impressive 14-point outpouring from Cooper Flagg, whose shooting touch and ability to finish around the rim are improving at a blistering pace.
Dallas, despite leading nearly the entirety of the second half after battling back from an early 10-point hole, let Utah claw their way back, and actually required some pretty
remarkable free-throw shenanigans just to earn the right to get to overtime. Then, despite all the clutch minutes this team has played, things just sort of went flat. The offense couldn’t produce, and the defense got gassed. A consequence of having your two leading offensive initiators be rookies.
Cooper Flagg led all scorers and set a new Maverick rookie scoring record with 42 points in the loss. For Utah, Keyonte George was on quite a heater of his own. He led the Jazz with 37 points, and Lauri Markkanen finished just behind him with 33.
Sputtered to a halt
After Flagg skillfully missing a free throw that led to two free throws for Max Christie, which then culminated in an overtime appearance, Dallas was only able to score a meager four points. Two from Flagg and another pair from PJ Washington. Dallas made just one of their nine shots in the period, while Utah totalled 11 in the frame.
It was an unfortunate end to a game where, obviously, Flagg looked like he was already playing at an all-star level, and Dallas’ offense had some semblance of cohesion. Dallas has played more clutch time minutes than any other team this season, but overtime is a different beast. It’s a length of time that demands shotmaking, and Dallas is still a work in progress on that front. Klay Thompson took and missed two three-pointers in overtime, PJ was one of three, and Flagg’s two points came at the line after he went 0-for-two from the floor. Both teams attempted nine shots, but Utah, coming off a 37-point fourth quarter, simply had the hotter hand.
Playing to their strengths
After such a long stretch of the season where Dallas looked not just bad, but historically awful on offense, they seem to have flipped the script. Things still aren’t perfect, but the jump from nearly-unwatchable to competent and improving has really done wonders for the team’s performance (and the people watching the games).
Handing the reins of the offense to Ryan Nembhard, an actual point guard, has done wonders, but so has the team’s overall approach. Kidd has an established MO to start seasons; he likes to fiddle with things. Try things. Let his guys go out there and see what they’ve got. Then, he begins to rein things in. Now, it appears that a couple of mandates are emerging. Unless your name is Klay Thompson, Max Christie, or Ryan Nembhard, taking a three should not be your first option. If your name is Cooper Flagg, you can shoot however much you want.
After rarely getting into the paint, shooting sub-30 % from deep, and leading the league in turnovers, Dallas has made a drastic 180, letting their players do what they do best and cutting out the low-percentage plays that were dragging the offense through the mud.
Cooper is getting what he wants
For most rookies, the hope is that they can contribute positively somewhere. Great rookies are able to step into a starting role immediately and contribute meaningful minutes of winning basketball. But you think about the ability to lead a team and really take over a game – that’s something that is usually reserved for not just vets, but proven NBA stars.
Flagg’s ability to move downhill and finish at the rim is showing signs of his “takeover-ability.” To be a guy who says, “I’m just going to go score,” and means it. He managed to get his career high 42 points by making just a single three-pointer. His assistance at moving towards the rim has meant not only does he get to utilize his excellent finishing ability, he’s also drawing more fouls. His rush to the rim with under a minute to go, down by three, earned him and an and-1 bucket (but he unfortunately missed the tying free throw.) He went to the line for 20 free throws tonight, making 15 to go along with a 13-of-27 shooting night from the floor. And all of that offense is coming online as he’s still putting up six assists, seven rebounds, and two blocks.
