After a disappointing 123-118 overtime loss to the Miami Heat on Sunday, the Dallas Mavericks wasted no time traveling to Atlanta, Georgia, to take on the Atlanta Hawks in a non-conference game on Monday at 7:30 PM EST. The Mavericks hoped to avoid a two-game losing skid, while the Hawks looked to avoid a three-game losing skid.
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Hawks 129-119 at the State Farm Arena. Dallas improved to 10-8, while Atlanta fell to 7-11. Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 32 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Jaden Hardy followed up with 23 points, three rebounds, and two assists. Spencer Dinwiddie added 22 points, three rebounds, and four assists. Naji Marshall had 22 points, six rebounds, and one assist. PJ Washington scored 11 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists.
Dallas Mavericks-Atlanta Hawks Recap
The Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks’ game was action-packed from start to finish. The Mavericks’ injury report listed Klay Thompson out with a left foot plantar fascia, Quentin Grimes out with an illness, Luka Doncic out with a right wrist sprain, and Dante Exum out with right wrist surgery. The Mavericks made Kyrie Irving available amid an illness. Meanwhile, the Hawks’ injury report listed Cody Zeller as not with the team.
The Mavericks’ starting lineup consisted of Kyrie Irving, Jaden Hardy, Naji Marshall, PJ Washington, and Dereck Lively II. Hardy drew the starting point guard spot due to Doncic’s right wrist injury absence. Hardy’s first start of the 2024-25 NBA season was rather intriguing, as the 22-year-old has provided a spark off the Mavericks’ bench and scored in double figures in three of his last five appearances.
The first quarter was a high-scoring affair between the Hawks and Mavericks. The Hawks survived the Mavericks’ late 10-0 run to hold onto a 31-28 lead at the end of the first. The second quarter saw a similar pattern between the two teams. Kyrie Irving’s three-pointer was a highlight reel moment. The Hawks maintained a steady pace and brought a 67-61 lead to the locker room at the halftime break.
The third quarter started slow but gradually improved. The Mavericks’ hammer play was unstoppable, especially Naji Marshall’s hammer. Dereck Lively II left the game with an illness and was questionable to return. The Mavericks took a 96-95 lead after three quarters. The fourth quarter was centered on Kyrie Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie’s three-pointers, and the Mavericks survived the Hawks bench’s stellar showing for a 129-119 win in regulation.
Mavericks-Hawks Highlights
The Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks game featured several highlights, such as the update that Naji Marshall has been fitting in well in his first season in Dallas, Texas. Marshall signed a three-year, $27 million free-agent contract with the team this offseason and has been a key part of the team’s road to a 9-8 record in the hours leading up to the game. Marshall’s ability to score, rebound, and defend has initiated the team’s offense.
For the Dallas Mavericks, PJ Washington Jr.’s father, PJ Washington Sr., was in attendance. Washington Jr. and Washington Sr. embraced each other pregame in a sweet father-and-son moment. Washington Sr. reportedly played a pivotal role in Washington Jr.’s NBA journey, even teaching his son an important life lesson by telling him that he wasn’t giving him anything as he’s got to earn everything.
For the Hawks, Trae Young had a day of service ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. On Sunday afternoon, Young partnered with a few local non-profits to ensure residents of the City of Atlanta received meals ahead of the holiday. Young and his wife, Shelby Miller, picked up approximately 800 pounds of food from Trader Joe’s in Sandy Springs and took it to the Atlanta Mission. The couple helped serve food to single women, as well as women who were clients of My Sister’s House, an overnight shelter for women and children experiencing homelessness.
Final Thoughts
The red-hot Dallas Mavericks reportedly hoped to keep the NBA-high tying four-game winning streak going against the Miami Heat, but they were unable to do so. The Heat rallied to force overtime, then defeated the Mavericks 123-118 in Miami, Florida. The Mavericks’ loss snapped the four-game winning streak and left them with a 9-8 record entering Monday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Dallas Mavericks could’ve inched closer to the Heat, but Kyrie Irving misfired on two three-point attempts and PJ Washington also missed a three-pointer. Alec Burks connected on a free throw with 12.2 seconds left to account for the game’s final point following the Heat’s 6-0 run to end the game. The game was a stark reminder that they miss Luka Doncic, who has been dealing with a right wrist sprain.
The Dallas Mavericks will return to Dallas, Texas, to host the New York Knicks in a non-conference game at the American Airlines Center on Wednesday at 6:30 PM Central. The Mavericks’ NBA Cup Nights have been looking good, as the team is very much alive. The Knicks didn’t have much time to rest after playing the Denver Nuggets in Denver, Colorado, on Monday.
