Dallas Mavericks Edge Detroit Pistons 123-117
The Dallas Mavericks hosted the Detroit Pistons in a Friday night home game. The Mavericks reportedly looked to turn things around in Tim Hardaway Jr.’s return — and that they did. The Mavericks defeated the Pistons 123-117 at the American Airlines Center. Dallas improved to 34-37 and snapped a four-game losing skid, while Detroit fell to 39-32 and failed to achieve a three-game winning streak.
Spencer Dinwiddie led the Mavericks with 31 points, three rebounds, and seven assists. PJ Washington Jr. followed up with 27 points and three rebounds. Klay Thompson added 20 points, five rebounds, and one assist. Naji Marshall had 19 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. Kai Jones scored 10 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Brandon Williams recorded 7 points, three rebounds, and five assists. Max Christie tallied 5 points, eight rebounds, and two assists.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Detroit Pistons Recap
The Dallas Mavericks ruled out Anthony Davis with a left adductor strain, Caleb Martin with a right hip strain, Daniel Gafford with a right knee sprain, Dante Exum with a left-hand fracture, Dereck Lively II with a right ankle stress fracture, Kyrie Irving with a left knee sprain and an ACL tear, and Olivier-Maxence Prosper with a right wrist sprain. The Detroit Pistons ruled out Jaden Ivey with a broken left fibula.
The Mavericks’ starting lineup featured Spencer Dinwiddie, Klay Thompson, PJ Washington Jr., Naji Marshall, and Kai Jones. Jones didn’t mind the Mavericks playing with just eight players, as Jones’ minutes have increased in recent days. The Pistons’ starting lineup featured Cade Cunningham, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris, and Ausar Thompson.
Both teams started slowly to open the first-quarter scoring but picked up the pace. The Mavericks shared a video tribute for Tim Hardaway Jr., who was traded to the Pistons in the offseason, in the first timeout. The Mavericks settled for a 35-27 lead at the end of the first quarter. Both teams shined in the second quarter. PJ Washington Jr. made a rim shot, while Ausar Thompson finished an alley-oop. The Mavericks took a 60-54 lead into halftime.
Both teams’ slow starts opened the third-quarter scoring but sped up. Klay Thompson showed off his range with a three-pointer, while Cade Cunningham treaded water without Tim Hardaway Jr., who left the second quarter with a right ankle sprain and didn’t return. The Mavericks maintained a 91-83 lead after three quarters. The Pistons kept the game close in the fourth quarter but couldn’t get ahead. The Mavericks won 123-117 in regulation.
Mavericks vs. Pistons Highlights
The Dallas Mavericks vs. Detroit Pistons game featured multiple highlights, such as the Mavericks’ new arena and potential casino resort from the Mavericks’ owners. WFAA reported that the first zoning steps were approved by the Irving Zoning Commission. The commission voted 5-4 on two proposals, one that included changing a 1,001-acre development area around state highways 114, 183, and Loop 12.
The Dallas Mavericks’ former NBA player Raymond Felton, who played for the Mavericks from 2014 to 2016, shared an arguably wild take about the Luka Doncic trade. Felton said on the “To The Baha” podcast, “The Miami Heat is worse — that is a worse trade than Dallas and the Lakers, by far. Dallas is just getting cooked by injuries; the Heat are healthy.”
“Jimmy Butler was Heat culture. Regardless of what the f*** you thought he was doing off the court, that motherf***** brought a toughness. He brought a mentality. He had leadership. Bro, I swear to God, it did not matter what seed the Miami Heat were, if they got in the playoffs, any team that played them didn’t want to see him and had to buckle the f*** up because it was going to be a dog fight.”
And, for the Pistons, former NBA player Udonis Haslem believes that the New York Knicks should be worried about the Pistons in this year’s NBA playoffs. Haslem said on the “NBA on ESPN” show, “I like those Thundercats out of Detroit … I’m looking at that matchup, and they are sharpening their swords, and they are ready for this matchup.”
“They are excited about this matchup. Cade Cunningham and Malik Beasley are ready for this matchup— Jalen Brunson is coming in or not. [Jalen Brunson’s] ankle is not going to be ready until the summertime. We all know that. He is not going to be healthy. I’m looking at Detroit, and I’m saying this could be a first-round exit for New York.”
Final Thoughts
The Dallas Mavericks scored 74 points in the second half but lost a heartbreaker to the Indiana Pacers, 135-131, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday night. The Mavericks had a seven-point lead with 1:07 left in regulation but failed to close out the game. The Mavericks’ heartbreaking loss was their fourth straight and the ninth in the last 10 games.
Pacers Head Coach Rick Carlisle, who served as the Mavericks Head Coach from 2008 to 2021, is reportedly a huge Naji Marshall fan. Before the game, Carlisle talked about how impressed he is with Marshall and what he’s been able to accomplish this season as a Maverick. He told Mavs.com, “He’s an aggressive player and a player that I really like … I can see why [the Dallas Mavericks] liked him and wanted to acquire him.”
Last weekend, Dallas celebrated five young artists as the team’s 2025 Black History Month Art Contest winners. The winners created submissions that wowed the selection committee. Christian Anderson, Ilhana Davis, Bryn Hergert, Felix Mendez, and Jorge Whitaker stood out with their thoughtful submissions that seamlessly folded into this year’s prompt, highlighting Black history and the growth of Black culture in the arts through time.
The Wednesday showing of the Mavericks-Pacers game at Cosm, an event venue in The Colony, Texas, was successful. Mavericks fans reportedly thought they were sitting courtside at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Marketing manager Trang Nguyen told Mavs.com that they’re a shared-reality venue. The Mavericks will open a four-game road trip, starting with the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. Eastern.
