The Dallas Mavericks finally found the response they’d been searching for.
After four straight losses and a late arrival into Washington following Friday’s blowout in Memphis, Dallas overcame another sluggish start and battled back to defeat the Wizards, 111–105, on Saturday night at Capital One Arena.
Naji Marshall scored a season-high 30 points, P.J. Washington added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Cooper Flagg contributed 12 points, six rebounds, and six assists as the Mavericks (3–7) secured their first road win of the season.
“We just came in, played free, and it looked good,” Marshall said. “A lot of us have been in our heads trying to be perfect and not mess up. Tonight we just played free and had fun.”
Early Surge, Midgame Lapse
Despite the weary legs from the back-to-back, Dallas came out aggressive. After falling behind 16–9, the Mavericks ripped off a 19–0 run to seize control and take a 35–24 lead after the first quarter. Ten of the eleven Mavericks who played in the opening frame scored as the bench sparked the momentum shift.
“Just the ball movement, the trust, making a play for a teammate,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “I thought we tried that last night — we just didn’t capitalize. Tonight we did, and it just shows the trust and belief they’re doing the right thing. Sometimes you don’t get rewarded when you miss shots, but I thought tonight we maintained composure. They made a run, we didn’t panic, and we continued to keep playing the right way.”
Washington climbed back into the game by outscoring Dallas 29–22 in the second quarter and 33–25 in the third. The Mavericks went cold from the field during that stretch, shooting just 39% through three quarters, and trailed 86–82 entering the fourth.
Clutch Finishes Down the Stretch
The Wizards extended their lead to 94–87 early in the final period before Dallas steadied itself. Brandon Williams buried a go-ahead three-pointer with 6:40 left to make it 96–94, part of a 29–19 finishing run that sealed the victory. Williams ended with 14 points and six assists off the bench.
“I thought Cooper took control of the game with the pass and the tempo,” Kidd said. “He found teammates and did it at a high level when we needed it. He really wanted that lob to B-Will — he was frustrated he didn’t give him a better pass — but his physicality and attacking were big for us.”
Flagg’s control and decision-making down the stretch stood out to Jason Kidd, who emphasized how rare that poise is for an 18-year-old playing major late-game minutes. Kidd said the Mavericks are more focused on process than perfection with their youngest player.
“We’ll live with the turnovers if the intent is right,” Kidd said. “He’s trying to make the right play for teammates at 18 years old. The process will make him better as time goes forward.”
Flagg said he’s embracing those growing pains and learning to play with tempo while maintaining confidence in his reads.
“Just playing with pace,” he said. “Pushing the tempo helped me see the floor better and create. Playing with confidence and keeping that pace really opened things up.”
He also acknowledged how quickly the physical nature of the league has tested him, crediting his veteran teammates for showing him what it takes to withstand contact and still make plays.
“You have to use physicality,” Flagg said. “Everybody’s gonna be physical with you. Watching P.J. and Naji, they use their bodies so well getting to the rim. I’m learning a lot from them.”
Naji Marshall Leads the Way
For Marshall, Saturday’s performance came in familiar territory. The Maryland native, who played at five high schools across the D.C. area and still trains locally each summer, looked right at home under the lights of Capital One Arena.
“Just comfortable,” Marshall said. “I know a lot of people out here — folks in the stands, people who work at the arena, even some opposing coaches. I just feel comfortable here.”
Marshall poured in 30 points on 9-of-14 shooting and 9-of-11 from the line, attacking the basket throughout the night. Even after taking a hard fall in the fourth quarter, he shrugged it off as part of the job.
“Not much. Just going for a rebound, playing hard,” he said. “That’s always gonna come with the game. I love it. Just took a quick break and shook back — I’m good.”
Kidd credited Marshall for giving the team stability and leadership when it needed it most, both as a scorer and communicator.
“When we talked about Naji, he played at a high level on both ends,” Kidd said. “Our bench was really good for us.”
Supporting Cast Delivers
Brandon Williams stepped up once again, finishing with 14 points and six assists off the bench, including the go-ahead three-pointer midway through the fourth quarter. He said the Mavericks’ focus in that moment was about energy and composure.
“We’ve been in that situation before,” Williams said. “Just had to turn up the energy on both sides — defense first, then offense takes care of itself.”
Williams said he’s made significant strides as a playmaker through film study and chemistry building with teammates.
“I worked a lot this offseason on learning coverages,” he said. “I know I can get by my man, but it’s about reading that next line of defense. Learning where Moose likes the ball, how guys move. Practice is one thing, but games are another. It’s on me to figure it out fast.”
Moussa Cissé added five points and nine rebounds in 19 minutes, following up his strong showing the night before in Memphis. Kidd praised the 6-foot-10 center for bringing consistent energy and rim presence in limited minutes.
“He’s been great,” Kidd said. “When you talk about someone’s energy, he’s one that gives that. He’s out there running track, no matter what part of the game. He gives everything he has.”
Marshall echoed that praise, saying Cissé’s work often goes unnoticed in the box score but changes games with hustle and defense.
“That’s my boy,” he said. “We’re hard on Moussa because he’s got so much potential. He played unbelievable tonight — blocked shots, rebounded, ran the floor, created open shots. Stuff that doesn’t show up in the stats but was huge for us.”
The Finishing Push
Down the stretch, Dallas turned to its defense and frontcourt toughness to close the game. Washington hit two free throws to give the Mavericks a 102–101 lead with 4:36 left, then added two more baskets and two more free throws in the final minutes to seal it.
Kidd pointed to the team’s rebounding and late-game composure as decisive.
“We can talk about P.J. playing the five and coming up with big tip-outs, but our defense held them from getting open looks,” Kidd said. “We rebounded, got into transition, capitalized, and executed down the stretch.”
After several games where Dallas failed to finish in the paint, Kidd said Saturday showed tangible progress.
“We’ve had games like this where we couldn’t capitalize — tonight we did,” Kidd said. “There was carryover from the Memphis game. That group is fighting. To get the ball in the paint and score at that level is a positive.”
Staying Together
The victory marked Dallas’ first win since Oct. 28 and its first on the road this season. With the Mavericks sitting at 3–7 — their worst 10-game start since 2018–19 — the team now turns its focus to a four-game homestand beginning Monday against Milwaukee.
Marshall said the group’s resilience will define whether they can build off this win.
“We’ve hit adversity, and sometimes you try to fix it all at once,” Marshall said. “It can be hard mentally, but it’s about trusting your work, trusting your teammates and coaches, and going out there and balling like you know how to.”
Kidd echoed that sentiment, saying the defensive mindset late in Washington has to become the standard.
“The defense,” he said. “We can talk about the offense, but our defense held them. We rebounded, we ran, and we finished plays.”
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