The Dallas Mavericks’ struggles reached a new low Wednesday night as they dropped their third straight game, falling 101–99 to the New Orleans Pelicans at American Airlines Center. The defeat, Dallas’ sixth in eight games, came against a short-handed Pelicans team playing its second game in as many nights.

The Mavericks once again had a chance to change their fortunes late. With two seconds left, Cooper Flagg’s running shot down the lane hit off the back of the rim, sealing another heartbreaking loss for a Dallas team still searching for consistency.

“We got to a good shot,” Flagg said. “It just didn’t go.”

Trey Murphy III grabbed the rebound for New Orleans to secure the win after Dallas executed a crisp pick-and-roll play that got Flagg a clean look from 15 feet.

Cooper Flagg’s Growth Evident Despite Result

Flagg led the Mavericks in scoring for the first time, posting 20 points (8-of-19 FG, 3-of-3 FT), nine rebounds, two assists, three steals, and two blocks in 34 minutes. The 18-year-old forward continues to make history, becoming the youngest player ever to record at least 20 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks in an NBA game.

He joined Mark Aguirre, Luka Dončić, and Jamal Mashburn as the only Mavericks to score in double figures in at least seven of their first eight career games. With his second career 20-point game, he also joined Kon Knueppel and V.J. Edgecombe as the only rookies this season to reach that mark multiple times.

“He’s comfortable,” coach Jason Kidd said. “You can see he’s grown each time he’s taken the floor. And tonight he was great—being able to rebound the ball, defend, create for others and for himself. And he had a great look that just didn’t go down.”

“Nobody’s Happy” Inside the Locker Room

Flagg’s development was one of few bright spots for Dallas, which has now lost six of its first eight games while ranking last in the league in scoring (107.3 points per game entering the night).

“For me, it’s the most I’ve lost since, I think, ever,” Flagg said. “It’s obviously a lot different. But I wouldn’t say anybody’s happy. Guys are obviously trying to stay level-headed. We’ve got a lot more games to go, but it’s not fun losing. Hopefully we can start making steps in the right direction.”

Max Christie echoed the sentiment, saying the mood in the locker room reflects the urgency to improve.

“We’re all upset,” Christie said. “Nobody’s happy being 2–6. It’s frustrating because we’re competitors. But we also know it’s early. We just have to figure it out and keep working. This is a character-building stretch for sure.”

Jason Kidd Tweaks the Lineup

Kidd made a notable change to his starting lineup before tipoff. D’Angelo Russell was inserted as the starting point guard, while Klay Thompson came off the bench for the first time in a Mavericks uniform — and for the first time since March 2024 with Golden State.

“You got to be willing to change,” Kidd said. “I talked to Klay, asked him if he could come off the bench. This isn’t a permanent thing, but he was good with it. I thought him coming off the bench gave us a spark.”

Thompson scored 11 points (3-of-6 from deep) in 21 minutes, matching season highs and adding another milestone by notching his 2,000th career assist. He became one of only 17 players in NBA history to record at least 2,000 three-pointers and 2,000 assists.

Russell had nine points on 3-of-10 shooting in his first start of the season, while P.J. Washington again anchored Dallas’ frontcourt with 15 points and 11 rebounds, his second consecutive double-double.

“He’s playing unbelievable—playing at an All-Star level,” Kidd said of Washington. “He’s playing 38 minutes a night, guarding everybody, and doing everything. Transition defense, blocks, scoring—he’s doing it all. We just need others to join the party.”

Washington’s 40th career double-double included two blocks, marking seven games with a block through the team’s first eight contests, the most such games to start a season in his career.

Offensive Woes and Rebounding Struggles Continue

The Mavericks shot 41.6% from the field and 10-of-32 (31.3%) from three-point range. Kidd said the team’s issues stem from missed open looks rather than poor shot selection.

“We’re not making shots,” Kidd said. “We’re getting great looks. We’ve missed layups that we normally make. The threes have been wide open, but they just haven’t gone in consistently. We’ve had a lot of oh-fors, and that can’t happen.”

Flagg, who shifted from point guard to small forward, said the new lineup allowed for better spacing at times but admitted the offense lacked organization.

“When we’re spaced and running what we practice, we get the right shots and enough room to create,” Flagg said. “We just have to keep working on that. We could’ve been more organized.”

New Orleans (2–6) won the rebounding battle 56–44, despite being outscored 18–10 on second-chance points. Saddiq Bey led the way with 22 points and nine rebounds, both season highs, while shooting 64.3% from the field (9-of-14) and 66.7% from three (4-of-6).

Jeremiah Fears and Jose Alvarado each added 13 points, while the Pelicans again played without Zion Williamson (strained left hamstring) and Jordan Poole (sore knee).

Silver Linings in the Numbers

Even in defeat, Dallas found some encouraging defensive metrics. The Mavericks recorded 11 steals, marking their fourth game this season with at least 10 — tied for the third-most such games through eight contests in franchise history.

With Flagg, Daniel Gafford, and Washington, the Mavericks had three starters record at least one steal and two blocks — their first such game since April 16, 2021, and only the seventh time in franchise history.

Gafford contributed 15 points (6-of-8 FG), eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, marking his eighth career game with multiple steals and blocks since joining Dallas.

Naji Marshall posted seven points, five rebounds, and five assists — his seventh career 5-5-5 game with Dallas. Max Christie scored 12 points and extended his double-figure streak to six straight games, the second-longest of his career.

The Road Ahead

Dallas remains without Anthony Davis (left calf strain) and Dereck Lively II (right knee sprain), though both are trending toward returns in the coming week. Kyrie Irving and Danté Exum also remain out.

“We just have to stick together,” Christie said. “The boat isn’t burning — we’re fine. It feels bad losing at home, but we’ve got to protect our court and play with better flow. Offensively, we’ve been stagnant. We’ll keep working through it, stay together, and trust it’ll turn.”

Kidd emphasized the importance of staying the course despite another close defeat, pointing to the team’s resilience and effort down the stretch as something to build on.

“We fought and put ourselves in a position to tie that game,” Kidd said. “That’s all you can ask. We just have to keep shooting, keep defending, and the results will come.”

The Mavericks (2–6) will look to end their losing skid Friday night in Memphis before returning home Sunday to host the Chicago Bulls.

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