Jason Kidd joked that he and the rest of the Mavericks’ coaching staff burned the game film from their season-opening loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
A “flush and forget” mindset seemed to serve them well in first quarter of their latest game against the Washington Wizards. However, the offensive woes quickly returned and by the time their valiant run in the fourth quarter arrived, it was too late.
The Mavericks suffered a devastating 117-107 loss on Friday night and dropped to 0-2.
Cooper Flagg dusted off the roller coaster that was his NBA debut and led the charge in giving the Mavericks a chance to earn their first win of the season. Flagg scored 11 of his career-high 18 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to propel the Mavericks to victory.
Mavericks
The Mavericks were clicking at the start of the game with a 35-point first quarter that built a 14-point lead, but that margin was quickly erased when their offense stalled with a 17-point effort in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Wizards (1-1) scored 30 in that period and didn’t take their feet off of the gas for the remainder of the game.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd attributed Friday’s loss to their defense, citing their on-ball defense and their tendency to foul jump shooters.
“Our defense isn’t up to par. We gotta be better.” Kidd said. ”There’s always someone going in this league, young or vet. Tonight, [Kyshawn] George had a heck of a game.”
The Mavericks struggled to take care of the ball and their offense looked disoriented, leading to a lack of spacing and inefficient 3-point shooting. Dallas committed 21 turnovers, leading to 21 points for Washington. The Wizards had 17 turnovers of their own, but shot exceptionally well from the perimeter with 15 of 36 3-pointers, while the Mavericks struggled with 10 on 34 attempts.
Anthony Davis led the Mavericks with 27 points and 13 rebounds with four assists. He scored six straight points toward the end of the third quarter to start the fourth-quarter comeback effort, but played a part in the turnover issue with five of his own.
P.J. Washington scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds with two steals, but led the Mavericks with eight turnovers.
After recording a double-double in his NBA debut, Flagg finished with 18 points, five rebounds and six assists. There were flashes of his potential in the first quarter: an in-rhythm 3-pointer, a drive to the basket for a two-handed dunk, an accurate read to Klay Thompson for a timely triple.
And even more so during the fourth quarter when he appeared as comfortable as he’s looked as a pro. But Flagg had difficulty with Washington’s pressure and committed five turnovers of his own. It appeared as if he’d grown comfortable throughout the game, but he wouldn’t call it an easy adjustment.
“I don’t know if easy is the right word. You just deal with it,” Flagg said. “Just making it easier on each other. We started setting screens in the backcourt. That’ll be good for us moving forward, for sure.”
The rebuilding Wizards are known for their experienced veterans in CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton, but their young standouts stole the show in Friday’s game.
Lake Highlands product Tre Johnson III exuded fearlessness on both ends of the court and produced an impressive performance in his homecoming at American Airlines Center. The Garland native scored 17 points off the bench, eclipsing the 16 points he had in his NBA debut against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.
George, a second-year forward, led the Wizards with career-highs of 34 points and 11 rebounds, plus four assists, two steals and three blocks. He knocked down a career-high 7 of 9 from beyond the arc, which hurt the Mavericks consistently through the game.
The Mavericks trailed by 10 in the final minute of the game when a “Fire Nico!” chant rang out, a blatant form of displeasure from last season’s infamous trade that led to their current situation.
While it may seem like a good idea for the Mavericks to get the flame ready for Friday’s game tape as well, there could be a silver lining if they can bottle up their fourth-quarter run into their next game against the Toronto Raptors.
Rack attack: See photos of Cooper Flagg’s performance in the Mavericks’ game against the Wizards
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