Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, Naji Marshall Shine in Dallas Amid Loss
The Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs met in the first game of a home-and-home set on Thursday. The Spurs defeated the Mavericks 135-123 at the American Airlines Center. San Antonio improved to 35-16, while Dallas fell to 19-32.
The Mavs hosted Heart Health Awareness Night, which was presented by UT Southwestern Medical Center. The night showcased a team of UT Southwestern medical staff racing on treadmills against a marathon runner. The night’s event raised awareness of heart disease and encouraged fans to support heart health.
In Case You Missed It
The Dallas Mavericks lost to the Boston Celtics 110-100 at the American Airlines Center on Tuesday. Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks with 36 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 33 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists.
Flagg, 19, had three straight 30-point games, becoming the first teenager in NBA history to accomplish this feat. He’s averaging 37.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game over his last three games.
Flagg totaled 119 points, 31 rebounds, and 14 assists over his last three games. Flagg’s the first rookie since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976-77 to record 115+ points, 30+ rebounds, and 10+ assists over any three-game stretch.
He joined Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Walt Bellamy, Rick Barry, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as one of six rookies to total 115+ points, 30+ rebounds, and 10+ assists over any namesake stretch. The San Antonio Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-106 at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday.
Keldon Johnson led the Spurs with 25 points, six rebounds, and two assists. Kenrich Williams led the Thunder with 25 points, nine rebounds, and two assists. Victor Wembanyama dominated on both ends of the court to help the Spurs win the home game. With the win, San Antonio achieved back-to-back home wins.
Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs Starters
Dallas and San Antonio’s rivalry goes way back, dating back to the Spurs’ roots in the ABA as the Dallas Chaparrals from 1967-1970 and 1971-73, along with the Mavs’ inception in 1980. Dallas’ starting lineup featured Max Christie, Naji Marshall, Cooper Flagg, Caleb Martin, and Daniel Gafford. Dallas ruled out Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery), Kyrie Irving (knee), PJ Washington (concussion), and Brandon Williams (lower leg) as day-to-day.
Dallas’ injury report included Marvin Bagley III, AJ Johnson, Khris Middleton, and Malaki Branham, following a trade that sent Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Dante Exum, and Jaden Hardy to the Washington Wizards. Dallas also had Tyus Jones on its injury report due to a trade with the Charlotte Hornets for Malaki Branham.
San Antonio’s starting lineup had De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, Harrison Barnes, and Victor Wembanyama. San Antonio ruled out David Jones Garcia (ankle surgery), Luke Kornet (ankle), Jeremy Sochan (left quadriceps strain), and Lindy Waters III (knee).
Mavericks vs. Spurs Recap
Thursday’s game highlighted a special milestone. On this day in 1999, Dirk Nowitzki made his NBA debut with the Dallas Mavericks. Nowitzki, now 47, shot 0-for-5, made two free throws, and recorded two assists in that game, suffering a slow start to his Hall of Fame career.
The Mavericks and Spurs played a high-scoring first quarter. The Mavs shot 52%, while the Spurs shot 50%. Max Christie nailed a three-pointer. Victor Wembanyama added a three-pointer of his own, finishing the first 3-of-3 from three-point range. The Mavs’ 9-2 run kept the game close, but the home team fell short. San Antonio took a 38-35 lead to end the first.
The Mavs maintained momentum in the second quarter. The rent was due as Daniel Gafford destroyed the rim for a two-handed dunk. Naji Marshall shone with a sequence of buckets. The Spurs’ shooting remained red-hot. Stephon Castle found Julian Champagnie, who completed a rim shot. San Antonio took a 74-63 lead into halftime.
Marshall, 28, recorded a game-high 20 points in the first half, marking his third career 20-point half. He now has ten 20-point games on the season and 32 in his career.
Wembanyama, 22, recorded 20 points, six rebounds, two steals, and two assists in the first half. Wembanyama’s first-half performance impressed the home crowd.
Like most NBA teams, Dallas struggled to contain Victor Wembanyama, and the second half was no exception. The third quarter started sluggishly, but the two teams shrugged it off. The Mavs’ 13-3 run kept the game close, but no cigar. Harrison Barnes reached four three-pointers. San Antonio took a 99-96 lead through three quarters.
The Fourth Quarter Showdown
The Mavericks opened the fourth-quarter scoring, but the Spurs’ shooting remained red-hot. Cooper Flagg nailed a pull-up three-pointer. Naji Marshall matched his season-high of 30 points. Victor Wembanyama threw down a rather easy dunk. De’Aaron Fox reached 900 career three-pointers. San Antonio won 135-123 in regulation.
Flagg recorded his fourth straight 30-point effort. He joined Michael Jordan, Bernard King, Allen Iverson, and Jalen Green as the only rookies since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976-77 to record 30+ points in four-plus consecutive games.
Marshall recorded his third 30-point game this season. He had two 30-point games in his career prior to this season. With him and Flagg, Dallas has had two 30-point scorers in the same game for the second time this season.
Next Steps
The Mavericks and Spurs meet again in the second game of a home-and-home set at the Frost Bank Center on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. Central. Dallas’ goals for a possible win should be to stifle San Antonio’s defense and execute a defensive scheme to slow its offense.
They also had to maintain a strong defensive line to create scoring opportunities and turnovers. San Antonio’s goals for a potential win should be to use Victor Wembanyama, limit Dallas’ scoring opportunities, and emphasize its offensive capabilities.
