The Dallas Mavericks closed out their preseason schedule Friday night with a rough 135-111 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, but anyone watching had their eyes glued to Cooper Flagg. He dropped 26 points in the defeat, and it was a specific kind of move he pulled off that’s got the fan base buzzing about what’s coming next for the Mavs.
Mavericks’ Defense Gets Shredded in Preseason Finale
It was clear from the jump that defense wasn’t the top priority for either squad, but the Mavs certainly had their struggles. Dallas was foul-happy early, racking up four team fouls in the first three minutes of play. Atlanta, led by CJ McCollum’s two early threes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s efficient 25 points in 27 minutes, took offensive control and never really let go. Despite Dallas trying to rally with a relentless offensive pace, the Hawks were simply too hot. They carried a 39-34 lead into the second quarter, largely thanks to 16 free throw attempts.
The second quarter was brutal. Atlanta started raining from beyond the arc and built up a 17-point lead five minutes in as the Dallas offense completely stalled out. It got so cold, even Kyrie Irving , a phenomenal 88.8% free-throw shooter , missed one. The Mavericks might have missed every single attempted three in that second quarter, while the Hawks were just electric from deep. Dallas stumbled into halftime trailing big, 73-54. They tried to cut into the lead in the third, shrinking it to 14 points after three solid offensive possessions, but Atlanta immediately countered with back-to-back threes, pushing their cushion back to 20. The Mavs’ defense was frenetic but ultimately poor, and Atlanta kept the pressure on, entering the fourth up 102-78.
Cooper Flagg’s Game Looks Different This Year
Forget the final score for a second, because Cooper Flagg looks like he’s leveled up. His 26 points in the loss were impressive, but it’s the *way* he’s scoring that tells the real story. We saw a highlight-reel dunk off a cut early on, and he opened the fourth quarter with transition attacks that forced a quick Hawks timeout. The chatter is that this “sauce” , these flashy, more complex moves , simply didn’t happen much last year. Sure, he could put his head down, get to the rim, or hit a strong one-dribble jumper, but the new variety in his game screams that he’s put in an enormous amount of work. This isn’t just a year 2 jump, it’s a leap that could define the Mavs’ offensive look.
Looking Ahead: Health and Early Season Impact
After Flagg’s early fourth-quarter flurry, both he and Kyrie Irving were done for the night, a clear sign that getting everyone out healthy was the main goal for both teams in this final preseason contest. Sergio De Larrea continued to show his hot shooting on low volume, hitting both threes he took in the third period and playing well to close out the fourth. While the loss stings, especially one where the defense struggled so much and the offense went so cold from deep, the focus has to be on the healthy arrival of the regular season and what Cooper Flagg’s growth means for the Mavs’ immediate future.
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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