The Dallas Mavericks spent Thursday night navigating pressure from every angle — the scoreboard, the glass, and one of the NBA’s most physical teams — before responding with composure when the margin for error vanished.
Anthony Davis delivered the defining plays on both ends of the floor in overtime, and Cooper Flagg continued his rapid emergence as a late-game stabilizer as Dallas edged the Detroit Pistons 116-114 in overtime at American Airlines Center.
Davis scored the go-ahead basket with 1:32 remaining in overtime and secured the final defensive rebound with 0.9 seconds left after Detroit missed three point-blank attempts. The win was Dallas’ sixth in its last eight games, improving the Mavericks to 11-17 overall and 8-9 at home. Detroit, which entered with the best record in the Eastern Conference and the second-best mark in the NBA, fell to 21-6 and 9-4 on the road.
The teams were tied 110-110 at the end of regulation after four quarters defined by physicality, momentum swings and defensive resistance — a fitting setup for two clubs that entered the night among the league leaders in clutch games.
Physicality and Interior Pressure Shape the Opening Quarter
From the opening tip, Detroit established its intent to control the paint and the possession battle. The Pistons relentlessly attacked the offensive glass behind Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson, ultimately finishing with 26 offensive rebounds, but Dallas countered with activity, rim protection and early pace.
Flagg set the tone immediately. Less than four minutes into the game, he drove hard from the left side and elevated for a forceful dunk that energized the building. On the defensive end, he challenged shots at the rim and tracked rebounds outside his area, setting a physical standard Dallas carried throughout the night.
Naji Marshall emerged as Dallas’ early offensive engine, repeatedly getting downhill and pressuring Detroit’s defense. Marshall scored eight of his 16 points in the opening period, helping the Mavericks avoid early droughts despite Detroit’s rebounding edge.
Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff later pointed to Flagg’s growing comfort in those early moments.
“I think we’ve always had an understanding of who he is and what he’s capable of,” Bickerstaff said. “I think he’s gotten more comfortable in the NBA game and understanding where his spots are and where to be aggressive.”
Dallas closed the first quarter with strong interior defense and timely baskets from P.J. Washington and Brandon Williams to take a 35-30 lead.
Dallas Mavericks Build Control as Tension Escalates In Second Quarter
The second quarter proved pivotal, both in shaping the scoreboard and the emotional temperature of the game.
Dallas extended its advantage by improving ball movement and spacing, allowing role players to find rhythm. Max Christie provided a lift off the bench, knocking down two three-pointers and attacking closeouts. Brandon Williams pushed tempo and created pressure on Detroit’s help defense, while Daniel Gafford anchored the interior with shot contests and rim deterrence.
Midway through the quarter, frustration boiled over for Detroit. Pistons forward Ausar Thompson was ejected with 5:09 remaining after bumping referee John Goble following a foul call. Cade Cunningham later drew a technical foul, and Bickerstaff was assessed a technical as the teams headed toward halftime.
Dallas capitalized fully, ripping off a 20-4 run that flipped a narrow deficit into a commanding cushion. Despite Anthony Davis going scoreless in the first half and missing all seven of his field-goal attempts, the Mavericks entered the locker room with a 66-57 lead.
Even without early scoring, Davis’ presence loomed large — something Bickerstaff acknowledged afterward.
“He is all the things that we’ve seen him to be,” Bickerstaff said. “A legit dominant player on both ends of the floor, with the ability to score in a multitude of ways… he presents a challenge because of that.”
Anthony Davis Awakens In Third Quarter as Detroit Pistons Regroup
Davis finally broke through midway through the third quarter, scoring his first basket at the 6:29 mark before drilling a three-pointer moments later. That sequence pushed Dallas’ lead to 18 and briefly gave the Mavericks firm control.
For a stretch, Dallas dictated terms behind Davis’ interior presence and Flagg’s versatility as a rebounder and secondary creator. Flagg played a team-high 40 minutes and finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and three blocks, posting a team-best +16 plus-minus.
Detroit, however, refused to fold. Cunningham attacked downhill, Duren continued to generate second-chance opportunities, and the Pistons closed the quarter on a run that trimmed the deficit to 91-79, reintroducing pressure as the game headed to the fourth.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd emphasized Davis’ two-way impact beyond the scoring column.
“I thought AD was really good on both ends,” Kidd said. “Being able to clean up some of those looks that we had, and then defensively, to come up with that rebound in that scrum was big, big winning plays for us.”
Cade Cunningham Leads Rally, Cooper Flagg Steadies Dallas Late
Detroit’s momentum carried into the fourth quarter. The Pistons erased Dallas’ remaining cushion with a 25-9 run, tying the game at 95 as Cunningham continued to dictate terms offensively. He finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, consistently forcing Dallas to defend late into the shot clock.
As Dallas’ offense stalled, the Mavericks leaned into Flagg’s composure. Detroit began sending extra attention his way, but the rookie remained patient and trusted his reads.
“If they’re going to put two on me, I’ve always got to make the right play,” Flagg said. “It’s just about being a basketball player.”
Flagg delivered when Dallas needed him most. He knocked down two consecutive midrange jumpers over Isaiah Stewart late in regulation, then rose into another pull-up jumper with 19 seconds remaining to give Dallas a 110-109 lead.
Detroit answered when Stewart split a pair of free throws to tie the game, and Klay Thompson’s floater at the buzzer rolled off the rim, sending the game to overtime tied at 110.
Kidd said Detroit’s decision to deny Flagg late reflected his growing presence.
“That’s respect,” Kidd said. “They knew we were going to him with the success he’s had late. Someone else has to step up.”
Anthony Davis And Cooper Flagg Deliver The Final Blow In Overtime
Overtime began with composure rather than panic. Brandon Williams calmly knocked down two free throws to open the period, setting a steady tone before Detroit answered with a Cunningham drive.
Williams’ impact extended beyond the box score, particularly during stretches when Dallas’ offense stalled late. Kidd pointed to the guard’s pace, pressure, and willingness to fill gaps as emblematic of the Mavericks’ growing collective trust.
“I thought he was really good,” Kidd said. “The energy, being competitive on the defensive end, and then on the offensive end, setting the tone with his speed and being able to get in the paint and get guys shots — that was high tonight. When one guy isn’t playing up to par, somebody else has to pick it up, and he did that for us.”
Kidd added that Dallas’ comfort in late-game moments has been earned through repetition, not coincidence.
“If you stay long enough in this league, you’re going to play a lot of close games,” Kidd said. “You can’t get discouraged. You just keep playing, and eventually those reps start to matter.”
Davis soon took control. After missing a jumper, he tracked down his own offensive rebound and powered home a dunk to give Dallas a 114-112 lead. Moments later, Flagg attacked the paint and delivered a perfectly timed drop-off pass to Davis for a dunk with 1:32 remaining — the final points of the night.
“We talk about it every day — understanding winning situations,” Kidd said. “He made all the right plays.”
Detroit still had opportunities. The Pistons missed three point-blank attempts in the final seconds, but Davis secured the defining defensive rebound with 0.9 seconds remaining, preserving the win.
Davis later revealed the effort came while battling illness, underscoring the degree of difficulty on a night that demanded physical and mental stamina.
“Still under the weather,” Davis said. “I actually threw up twice during the game, but I’m just trying to compete. I’m just trying to do whatever I can to help the team win, leaving it all on the floor.”
Marshall was battling illness as well, a detail that only underscored the Mavericks’ collective resolve on a night that demanded physical and mental stamina. Asked afterward about playing 33 minutes through it, Marshall framed the effort with humor and perspective.
“It was definitely tough to start the game off,” Marshall said. “But as the day goes by, I’m starting to feel better — staying hydrated, getting fluids in my body. Shout out to Kidd for that. Michael Jordan had what, 40 when he had the flu? Sixteen, man. This was a bubble guts game.”
Balance, Defense And Belief Carry Dallas
Flagg’s 23-point, 10-rebound night led a balanced effort that saw six Mavericks score in double figures. Marshall added 16 points while playing through illness, Davis finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks, Williams contributed 14 off the bench, Washington scored 13 with four blocks, and Christie added 11.
Dallas shot 44.9% from the field, converted 31 of 36 free throws, and recorded 15 blocks — the most by any team in the NBA this season. Five Mavericks recorded multiple blocks, anchoring a defense that held Detroit to 6-of-33 shooting from three-point range.
Marshall praised the group’s resolve afterward.
“It shows how much fight we got in our guys,” Marshall said. “Winning in the NBA is hard. Just showing fight, getting stops, and executing down the stretch — I’m proud of my guys.”
Dallas has now won six of its last eight games and will look to build on the momentum Saturday when it opens a two-game road trip against Philadelphia before traveling to New Orleans.
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