The Dallas Mavericks finally got that W Friday night, snapping a two-game skid with a 112-100 victory over the Utah Jazz. Now, they’ve got another seriously winnable game heading into Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets. Dallas sits at 5-4, a decent start after that rough patch, while the Nets rolled into the weekend at 2-6 and are coming off a Saturday game against Atlanta, so they’re hitting Dallas on the second night of a back-to-back. This is the kind of game the Mavs absolutely HAVE to take care of consistently. We’ve seen them hang with some seriously good teams, but then losses like that one to Sacramento show how fast things can go sideways when they’re playing down to the competition. Brooklyn’s got enough legit NBA talent to make that happen again if Dallas comes out flat.
Building on Friday’s Bounce Back
That Jazz win? Yeah, it wasn’t perfect, but there were some seriously encouraging signs. Cooper Flagg, despite another slow start, still finished with a monster line: 21 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. P.J. Washington absolutely carried the offense early on, dropping 26 points. But the real standout? Morez Johnson Jr. The kid was fantastic, putting up 13 points and pulling down a ridiculous 17 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. And don’t sleep on Santi Aldama making his season debut, giving Dallas eight points and nine boards in just 13 minutes. THAT, right there, is the kind of collective production Dallas needs. We’ve watched too much of this early season where it feels like Flagg or Kyrie Irving have to solve every single problem. Friday was a prime example of what this roster can actually look like when Washington, Morez, and the rest of the rotation step up and give them something. Brooklyn should be another shot to build on that momentum.
More Morez, Please!
Honestly, Morez Johnson Jr. might be forcing head coach Dusty May’s hand. The rookie was without a doubt one of Dallas’ best players Friday. He was absolutely dominating the offensive glass, giving the Mavericks the kind of physicality they’ve been badly needing, especially with Dereck Lively II still sidelined. His 17-rebound performance was easily one of the biggest reasons Dallas took control in the second half against Utah. Look, Brooklyn has size with Julius Randle, Michael Porter Jr., Day’Ron Sharpe, and Noah Clowney, so it’s not going to be an easy battle on the boards. But Morez has earned another real opportunity. Dallas has struggled with rebounding way too often this season, and right now, the rookie is giving May something that is just plain hard to take off the floor. Aldama’s return only makes that frontcourt rotation even more interesting, giving them more options to work with.
Dallas needs to come out Sunday and take care of business against Brooklyn. This isn’t just about a single win; it’s about proving they can consistently beat the teams they’re supposed to. Let’s see if Morez can keep that fire going.
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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