The Dallas Mavericks kicked off their 2026-27 season on the wrong foot, taking a brutal 128-110 loss to the Houston Rockets, with their second-quarter performance described as ‘pitiful.’ This wasn’t just a bad quarter, though: second-year star Cooper Flagg is already calling it an “identifiable trend” for the team, barely one game into the season.
Second Quarter Went From Bad to Worse, Fast
First-year head coach Dusty May wasn’t shy, admitting his team just “let go of the rope as a group.” He said they were “pleased with our first-quarter performance,” but after the Rockets “landed the first punch on offense,” the wheels fell off. May felt the team “played and competed three out of four quarters,” but that second quarter, man, they just couldn’t “figure out a way to right the ship.” He gave credit where it was due, saying Houston’s “front line was sensational.”
So, what happened in that chaotic second frame? May pointed to a mix of things, including the “make-or-miss game,” where even though they got “looks we wanted the shots for,” they started “playing a little too quickly and shooting some shots , some semi-open shots instead of getting back, making them work a little bit, finding some connection.” It sounds like panic set in, honestly.
Defense Was a “Priority” But Still Fell Apart
Communication was a killer, especially on defense. May explicitly said transition defense was a “priority” in training camp, something they “spent a lot of time” on to fix. Yet, when things got tough in that second quarter, he saw his team “let go of our principles, we lost our urgency.” That’s when the game truly slipped away. May even called out the basic failure of assuming matchups: “we had three or four guys back, and we were assuming one guy was going to match up with Jabari [Smith Jr.] or whoever.” His blunt assessment afterward? “They outworked us, to be honest. They did a better job.” That’s a tough pill to swallow for a season opener.
Even with Max Christie starting over Zaccharie Risacher, May said the first unit actually “played well” and “competed,” playing “good basketball.” But he didn’t mince words: “the second quarter is what killed us.”
Despite the tough loss, there were at least a couple of silver linings. Cooper Flagg, for one, bounced back big time with a “brilliant second half.” And reserve guard Marcus Sasser apparently “looked great” off the bench. These are “learning experiences,” as May put it, but if Flagg’s right about an “identifiable trend” already showing up, Dallas has some serious work to do right now.
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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