The Dallas Mavericks finished their first week of the 2026-27 season with a 1-2 record. They got blown off the floor in game one by Houston (128-110), bounced back with a win in Indiana (121-105), and then fell to San Antonio in their home opener (122-106). Cooper Flagg led the way with 23 points per game. Flagg also injured his shoulder against Indiana and missed their last game.
Grade: B+
If you take out the second quarter against the Rockets and the fourth quarter against the Spurs, the Mavericks played
three excellent games of basketball. They beat Houston by 14 in the second half, had a 30-point lead in the first half of their win against the Pacers, and played the defending Western Conference champions tough without Kyrie Irving or Cooper Flagg. Marcus Sasser and Sergio de Larrea shined off the bench in the sought-after guard minutes, and Zaccharie Risacher showed intrigue as a connecting piece on defense. P.J. Washington and Naji Marshall have looked like themselves, and Kyrie Irving seems to be on track to be the guy he was 19 months ago.
They are in the top half of the league for offensive rating (112.0) and near the bottom of the league in pace (100.33), meaning they have been very deliberate and effective in what they want to do. The defensive flashes have been there, but, as is the case for all young teams, they are not consistent yet. They’re going to have quarters like the second in Houston, where they got boatraced 38-12. But they will also click as they did in the same period against Indiana, where they held them scoreless for nearly half the quarter and outscored them 33-16.
Despite the 1-2 start, there is reason to have hope for a good season. Dusty May will continue to figure out the lineups as the season goes on, the rookies and fresh faces will find more confidence as they play more, and Cooper Flagg alongside Kyrie Irving is awesome to watch. This next week (at Miami, at home against Oklahoma City and Houston) will be a great test for this group if they want playoff dreams.
Straight A’s: Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg made the jump we expected him to make. He came out of the gates swinging with 32 points, and followed that up with 14 points in 17 minutes before getting hurt in Indiana. He has made 14 of his 23 shots, including three of his six threes, and has two blocks and six steals. He was efficient last year, as we know, but the big jump so far in his scoring has been his ability to get to the line. Flagg took 13 free throws against the Rockets and four before exiting on Friday, making 15 of his 17 attempts. He looks like a more seasoned player, and a true number one on a winning team.
Fail: Dusty May’s first NBA half
I have not been much more bewildered than I was watching the Mavericks’ first half to open the season. 10 guys played in the first quarter, and it seemed like every time I looked up, a new player was on the floor. There was no rhythm, no pattern, and seemingly no purpose other than to get a look at everyone for two minutes at a time. A positive spin could be that he wanted to speed-run the 20-game Jason Kidd test period, but he legitimately punted the game against Houston by doing this, given how Dallas played in the second half. Thankfully, he has not pulled this gimmick in either game since, but he does have a quick trigger on the substitutions.
Extra Credit: Sergio de Larrea
When the Mavericks selected de Larrea 25th overall, the chances are you had no idea who he was. I had no clue, but one thing is clear about him from the get-go: the kid can play. A lot of young players are constantly trying to adjust to the pace of the NBA; de Larrea already controls it. He has incredible touch on his in-between game, a great feel for passing, and a smooth-looking jumper. He is clearly too slender, but that will change with a real NBA offseason. His 21 points against a very good Spurs defense, and specifically the ease with which he got to his spots against Stephon Castle, were impressive. I am excited to watch him develop next to Cooper Flagg.
