\u201cIt comes with responsibility,\u201d Jordi Fern\u00e1ndez said post-game Sunday. \u201cResponsibility to take the shot when you open, responsibility to box out when you have to. Obviously, the 19 second chance points \u2014 once again, if we don\u2019t rebound, we don\u2019t win. We\u2019ve been the number one defensive rebounding team for a stretch of games where we had the best defense, and now we\u2019re not rebounding and we\u2019re not winning games. Got to keep learning, got to keep getting 1% better every day, and holding the guys accountable, but also supporting them because there were good things done tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
This quote was very indeed important, because it is nothing but the truth, particularly when the organization\u2019s goals are developing their six players on rookie deals \u2014 the Flatbush Five plus Noah Clowney \u2014 and securing a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.<\/p>\n
The first goal seems to be well on its way to success. As for the second, at the moment, the Nets have the fifth best odds of nailing the overall No. 1 in the draft lottery at 10.5% as well as a 42.1% shot at a top four pick. On the other hand, they also have a 55.0% chance of getting the sixth, seventh or eighth pick.<\/p>\n
Even though Brooklyn wound their own enemy in the Memphis Grizzlies 103-98 comeback victory, they did not play bad at all. Whether it was Danny Wolf\u2019s double double, or Nolan Traore\u2019s six assists without a turnover or Jalen Wilson\u2019s contributing minutes, players stepped up, at least till the end. But you can only go so far when you miss your best player and you have the youngest and least experienced roster in the league.<\/p>\n
Tonight, the Nets will look to recuperate in their second game of a back-to-back and their second game in a three-out-of four stretch against the Dallas Mavericks. Sitting at 12th place in the Western Conference standings at 14-25, only a game and a half better than Brooklyn, the Mavs will look to avoid losing their third straight loss and begin to wonder whether with all their injuries, it\u2019s time to join the tank war. More on that below.<\/p>\n
Also, congratulations to Chris Carrino and his son Chris Jr. for their work on the FAN during the Grizzlies game. It was the first time an NBA game was called by a father-son duo. I know the younger Carrino pretty well, and I think he has a chance to be great like his dad.<\/p>\n
Check out the action at 8:30 p.m. ET on the YES Network and NBA League Pass, as well as streaming on the Gotham Sports App.<\/p>\n
Michael Porter Jr. is back. So is Drake Powell but Zaire Williams (illness) remains out. And since it\u2019s a back-to-back \u2014 and losses are at a premium, Egor Demin and Cam Thomas (injury management) are both sitting as well. Haywood Highsmith, who\u2019s still recovering from off-season surgery, won\u2019t be making his season debut yet either. Ben Saraf, who\u2019s had an ankle issue is assigned to Long Island. Two-way E.J. Liddell (ankle) is listed as out but the Nets other two-ways Tyson Etienne and Chaney Johnson are not listed on the status report indicating they could be available.<\/p>\n
In Dallas, the list is even longer and deeper. Dereck Lively and Dante Exum are out for the year. Dallas was granted injury exceptions for both last week. Finally, Anthony Davis sustained ligament damage in his left hand and could miss \u201cnumber of months,\u201d ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania reported. Also, there was word last week that it\u2019s unlikely we\u2019ll see Kyrie Irving this season.<\/p>\n
P.J. Washington (ankle) is listed as doubtful for Monday\u2019s game against Brooklyn as is Brandon Williams (illness). Moussa Cisse (shoulder) is listed as questionable.<\/p>\n
Like the Grizzlies, the Mavericks are bereft of healthy bodies. Indeed, Dallas is at an inflection point. After getting to the Finals two years ago, then trading Luka Doncic to the Lakers but still making the play-in tournament \u2014 and getting Cooper Flagg in the lottery \u2014 things have gone south. All the key players on the Mavs roster other than Flagg are out for months if not the rest of the season.<\/p>\n
The effect is obvious. The Mavs have lost seven of the last ten. With Davis two months away from his 33rd birthday and likely to undergo hand surgery, the chances that they\u2019ll be able to move him at the deadline approaches nil. As Sam Quinn of CBS Sports wrote recently, the prospect of a rebuild grows but it\u2019s tricky. Both Davis and Irving will be 33 next season and making a lot of money \u2014 a combined $90 million.<\/p>\n
Part of the motivation of trading Davis was the need to lose games. The Mavericks don\u2019t control their own first-round picks between 2027 and 2030. That makes the 2026 NBA Draft absolutely critical. It\u2019s their one chance to draft a young, cheap co-star for Cooper Flagg that\u2019s on his timeline. Having Davis on their team only hurt their draft position. He may not be playing at a superstar level, but he\u2019s still the best player on this mess of a roster.<\/p>\n
Well, if Davis is injured enough to miss the rest of the season, that solves the draft issue without a trade. Dallas could tank in peace and then bring Davis and Kyrie Irving back next season with an eye on managing two timelines. A healthy Davis and Irving would be ready to win now. Flagg and the 2026 draft pick would take over later, and probably benefit from the playoff games Davis and Irving could help them reach. A hybrid of Nico Harrison\u2019s deranged vision and the more measured approach most have called for since the Mavericks won last May\u2019s lottery.<\/p>\n
In a way, the Nets situation is more simple, but bottom line, the Mavericks still have Flagg, the best young player in the game, and that\u2019s huge.<\/p>\n
What to expect tonight? More minutes for Nolan Traore for one. The 6\u20194\u201d French speedster had his best game as a playmaker Sunday with six assists and no turnovers. Expect him to find MPJ.<\/p>\n
Who\u2019s left to watch? Well, that\u2019s obvious. Cooper Flagg. For the season, the 6\u20199\u201d wing\/point guard\/power forward is averaging 18.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Mavericks. He\u2019s tailed off a bit in January with games of 12, 11 and 10 points in the last five after averaging 23.5 in December. That\u2019s caused some worry in Dallas amidst all the team\u2019s other woes. Is Flagg hitting the \u201crookie wall?\u201d Matt Martinez of Mavs Moneyball asks<\/a>.<\/p>\n He had 26 and 10 in Thursday\u2019s 116-114 loss at the Utah Jazz and 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting in Tuesday\u2019s 100-98 win at the Sacramento Kings, but in two games before those and one since, Flagg has combined to shoot just 12-of-40 (30%) from the field.<\/p>\n