The Dallas Mavericks kicked off their preseason slate with a tough 135-117 loss to the Houston Rockets at the Venetian Arena in Macao, China, but rookie Cooper Flagg immediately showed why everyone’s buzzing, dropping 19 points in his debut. The goal for Dallas in this preseason opener was clear: get a good look at all the new faces, see how the rookies blend in, and figure out where all the pieces fit.
Rockets Take Control Early as Mavs Search for Rhythm
Houston jumped out to a 27-19 lead after the first quarter, even with Morez Johnson Jr. and, surprisingly, Daniel Gafford hitting 3-pointers for the Mavericks. Yao Ming was courtside watching his Rockets build a lead. The Mavs just couldn’t find their offensive rhythm for most of the second quarter. Cooper Flagg stood out, but the rest of the squad looked stuck in the mud. The Rockets capitalized, pushing their lead to as much as 23 points before heading into halftime up 65-45. Dallas did manage to pull within 27-23 early in the second after an alley-oop dunk from Flagg, but Houston answered by outscoring them 38-22 for the rest of the half. Tari Eason, who finished with a game-high 20 points, drained a three from the right wing as time expired to snuff out a small Mavs run and ensure a 20-point Rockets advantage at the break. Fred VanVleet added 17 points for Houston.
Flagg’s Flashy Debut is What Everyone’s Talking About
Even in a loss, Cooper Flagg was undeniable. From tipoff, he was getting after it on defense. He was credited with just one steal in the first quarter, but the guy forced the Rockets into three of their first five turnovers. His first bucket? An uncontested drive and dunk, showing everyone he wasn’t here to just dip his toes in the water. Flagg brought the highlight reel in the second quarter too, first blocking Amen Thompson’s driving layup and then, on the very next play, catching an alley-oop to finish the break. He scored Dallas’s first four points of that frame. He got into a bit of foul trouble, picking up his third foul with 9:22 left in the second, but head coach Dusty May kept him in, because, hey, it’s preseason. Flagg rewarded that trust immediately, hitting his first 3-pointer of the game on the next possession, cutting the lead to 34-26 with 8:45 left in the half. He ended the night leading Dallas with 19 points, while Naji Marshall chipped in with 16.
The Mavericks have three more preseason games on their slate, and you know everyone’s going to be glued to those to see how this new-look roster, especially Flagg, continues to develop. Get ready, Mavs fans.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mavs Moneyball.
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