{"id":534040,"date":"2026-01-13T15:12:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T15:12:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/534040\/"},"modified":"2026-01-13T15:12:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T15:12:19","slug":"flagg-drives-mavericks-past-slumping-nets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/534040\/","title":{"rendered":"Flagg drives Mavericks past slumping Nets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rookie sensation Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks to their second win in as many meetings with the Nets in Dallas Monday night. AP Photo by Julio Cortez\n<\/p>\n

The Brooklyn Nets didn\u2019t get to show off fast-emerging rookie Egor D\u0451min in Dallas on Monday night.<\/p>\n

The Dallas Mavericks showcased first overall pick Cooper Flagg en route to handing our borough\u2019s NBA franchise its fourth consecutive defeat.<\/p>\n

D\u0451min took the night off while Flagg burned Brooklyn with 27 points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals and a blocked shot, spearheading the Mavericks to a 113-105 victory over the slumping Nets before 18,632 fans at the American Airlines Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was exceptional,\u201d Nets coach Jordi Fern\u00e1ndez said of Flagg, who went 10-of-17 from the floor, 2-of-3 from 3-point range and buried 5-of-7 free throws in 35 scintillating minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, I\u2019m sure (he\u2019s) fun to watch for a lot of fans and, you know, the sky\u2019s the limit for this kid.\u201d<\/p>\n

The same has been said lately of the 19-year-old D\u0451min, selected eighth overall as the first of Brooklyn\u2019s historic haul of five first-round picks in June.<\/p>\n

However, the 6-foot-8 Russian was unable to go on back-to-back nights following Sunday\u2019s defeat in Memphis as he continues to manage a plantar fasciitis issue.<\/p>\n

The 19-year-old Flagg had no such problems.<\/p>\n

The 6-foot-9 Duke alum buried two free throws, cruised in for an easy layup and canned a 3-pointer to help Dallas (11-26) surge to a 25-17 lead less than eight minutes into the game.<\/p>\n

The Mavericks, who ended a two-game skid, ran out to a 32-23 lead after one quarter and never looked back. Even though the Nets (11-26) never stopped trying to reel them in.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that we didn\u2019t start the game \u2026 and you see it right there. It was our worst quarter,\u201d Fern\u00e1ndez lamented after Brooklyn fell to 1-6 in January following a rousing 7-4 run through December.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou lose the first quarter by (nine), if my math is correct,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd then you end up losing by eight. So you got to keep focusing on how you want to start the game, how disciplined you want to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Nets also played without Cam Thomas, who took a rest as well after managing only nine points on 4-of-12 shooting in the 103-98 loss to the Grizzlies 24 hours earlier.<\/p>\n

Michael Porter Jr. returned from a load management absence in Memphis by putting up a game-high 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including a blistering 6-of-10 effort from beyond the arc.<\/p>\n

\"BrooklynMichael Porter Jr. went 6-of-10 from 3-point range, but the rest of the Nets hit only three shots from beyond the arc during Monday\u2019s loss in Dallas. AP Photo by Julio Cortez<\/p>\n

Nets reserve center Day\u2019Ron Sharpe had a double-double just 10 \u00bd minutes into his night off the bench, finishing with 14 points and 12 boards in 23 minutes.<\/p>\n

None of it was enough on a night Brooklyn handed Dallas 22 points off turnovers and got outscored 22-8 on the fast break.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt came down to fast break points \u2026 and we came in saying, last time they scored 30,\u201d Fern\u00e1ndez noted, referring back to the Nets\u2019 119-111 loss in Dallas on Dec. 12.<\/p>\n

Flagg put up 22 points, dished out eight assists, grabbed five boards and added a blocked shot and a steal in that previous meeting while D\u0451min was held to three points on 1-of-7 shooting with two turnovers.<\/p>\n

Brooklyn\u2019s rookie has displayed a desire to take and make big shots down the stretch of late. In the potential rematch, he had to sit and watch as Flagg threw down a slam and drilled a 24-footer that gave the Mavs a 112-102 cushion with 1:32 to play.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce again, we fought, gave ourselves a chance and we came up short,\u201d said Fern\u00e1ndez as the Nets fell to 0-2 on this three-game road trip, which concludes Wednesday night in New Orleans.<\/p>\n

Naji Marshall scored 22 points and Klay Thompson added 18 on a season high-tying six 3-pointers for Dallas, which visit Barclays Center on Feb. 24, providing Brooklynites with their last opportunity to see D\u0451min and Flagg go at it.<\/p>\n

Noah Clowney and Nic Claxton had 13 points apiece and rookie Drake Powell added 10 for the Nets, who will try to avert their longest losing streak since an 0-7 start to this rebuilding year when they visit the Pelicans.<\/p>\n

Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n

The game will air locally on the YES Network.<\/p>\n

\"BrooklynNets rookie Egor D\u0451min will have to wait until Feb. 24 to get his third and final shot to square off against Dallas first-year star Cooper Flagg. AP Photo by Frank Franklin II<\/p>\n

NOTHING BUT NET: Veteran forward Ziaire Williams also sat out Monday due to illness. \u2026 Despite Porter\u2019s long-range heroics, the Nets went a dismal 9-of-37 from long range in Dallas. That means they hit 3-of-27 when Porter wasn\u2019t taking 3-pointers. \u2026 Brooklyn won the rebounding battle against the Mavs, 43-37, including 13\u20139 off the offensive glass. Sharpe had seven of those caroms. \u201cHe was physical. He set good screens,\u201d the second-year coach said of Sharpe. \u201cIt\u2019s not just the points and rebounds. He did a lot of things for his teammates.\u201d \u2026 After visiting New Orleans, the Nets will open a home-and-home with Chicago at Barclays on Friday night.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a><\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Orlando
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMagic spoil D\u0451min\u2019s big finish at Barclays<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJanuary 8 |
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJohn Torenli, Sports Editor\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Brooklyn
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThomas accepting bench role in Brooklyn<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJanuary 7 |
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJohn Torenli, Sports Editor\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Brooklyn
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNets\u2019 Porter Jr. gets best of ex-teammates<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJanuary 6 |
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJohn Torenli, Sports Editor\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Brooklyn
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFern\u00e1ndez wants \u2018more\u2019 from Traor\u00e9<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDecember 31 |
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJohn Torenli, Sports Editor\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Rookie sensation Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks to their second win in as many meetings with the Nets…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":534041,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3793],"tags":[7,686,149,4057,53053,166,26565,6,671],"class_list":["post-534040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-dallas-mavericks","tag-basketball","tag-dallas","tag-dallas-mavericks","tag-dallasmavericks","tag-jt-torenli","tag-mavericks","tag-national-basketball-association-nba","tag-nba","tag-nets"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/115888440329105928","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/534040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=534040"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/534040\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/534041"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=534040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=534040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=534040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}