DHJ Quick Take: Finding Diamonds in the Desert<\/p>\n
The Poulakidas \u201cBlackout\u201d: In just his 11th NBA game, undrafted rookie John Poulakidas looked like a seasoned vet, torching the Suns for 23 points and five threes. His fearless performance\u2014including a block and a bucket on Devin Booker\u2014earned him post-game praise from the Phoenix superstar, marking a massive developmental win for Dallas.<\/p>\n
The 18-Point Rally: Despite missing eight rotation players (including Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, and Naji Marshall), a patchwork Mavericks group clawed back from 18 down to briefly take a fourth-quarter lead. The grit shown by Max Christie (18 points) and Marvin Bagley III (20 points) reinforces the \u201chabit-building\u201d culture Jason Kidd is instilling for 2027.<\/p>\n
Flagg\u2019s Floor Game: Cooper Flagg struggled with a 4-of-19 shooting night but proved why his impact transcends scoring, tallying a 12-rebound, 6-assist line. By tying LeBron James for the third-most 10\/10\/5 games by a teenager, Flagg continues to rewrite the record books even when his \u201cbunny\u201d shots aren\u2019t falling.<\/p>\n
PHOENIX \u2014 The Dallas Mavericks<\/a> erased a deficit of 18 points to pull within one in the fourth quarter Wednesday night before the Phoenix Suns steadied themselves for a 112-107 win at Mortgage Matchup Center. Dallas falls to 25-55. Phoenix improves to 44-36 and clinches the Western Conference\u2019s seventh seed with two games remaining.<\/p>\n The Mavericks played shorthanded again. Naji Marshall<\/a> missed the game with a left hip contusion, and P.J. Washington<\/a> remained out with a left elbow sprain. Daniel Gafford<\/a> was inactive due to a right shoulder impingement. Kyrie Irving<\/a> and Dereck Lively II<\/a> continued their respective surgical recoveries. Caleb Martin<\/a> missed with a right plantar fascia strain, and Klay Thompson<\/a> was held out for rest.<\/p>\n John Poulakidas<\/a> came off the bench to set a career high with 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and 5-of-8 from three. Cooper Flagg<\/a> finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists in 31 minutes despite going 4-of-19 from the floor. Marvin Bagley III<\/a> contributed 20 points and 8 rebounds on 8-of-11 shooting, connecting on 3 of his 6 three-point attempts. Max Christie<\/a> added 18 points on 5-of-11 shooting, and Ryan Nembhard<\/a> distributed 7 assists without committing a turnover.<\/p>\n Devin Booker<\/a> led Phoenix with 37 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists on a perfect 9-of-9 showing at the free-throw line. Dillon Brooks<\/a> added 28 points, including 19 in the second half. Khaman Maluach<\/a>, making his first career NBA start, grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked 3 shots.<\/p>\n John Poulakidas Delivers Career Night in 11th NBA Game<\/p>\n Poulakidas became the first Dallas rookie since 2022-23 to score 23 or more points with 5 or more threes off the bench. His first-quarter block on a Booker putback attempt set the tone early, and he converted the pull-up jumper on the other end to close out the period. In the fourth, he hit a pair of corner threes that fueled the rally and finished with 8 points in the final frame.<\/p>\n Asked to describe what it feels like to be in that kind of rhythm during a game, Poulakidas reached for a phrase that captured something closer to absence than presence \u2014 the crowd, the defenders, the moment all receding at once.<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, I would best describe it as kind of like a blackout feeling,\u201d Poulakidas said. \u201cYou just kind of black out \u2014 you\u2019re not noticing the crowd, you\u2019re not really feeling any defenders. It\u2019s just you and the hoop. It\u2019s like being in the backyard having fun.\u201d<\/p>\n Poulakidas said the sequence \u2014 a block on Booker in the first quarter followed by the pullup jumper on the other end \u2014 barely registered during the game itself. It was only afterward, when Booker sought him out, that the weight of the moment landed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was super cool,\u201d Poulakidas said. \u201cHe\u2019s a guy I\u2019ve been watching since I was in seventh or eighth grade. But in the middle of the game \u2014 after the block, after the bucket \u2014 I\u2019m not really thinking about that. I was just locked in on the next play. After the game, though, him showing love to me was a super special moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Booker told him something in that exchange that Poulakidas said he will not forget.<\/p>\n \u201cI told him I\u2019ve been watching him for a while, and he told me he\u2019s going to be watching me now,\u201d Poulakidas said. \u201cThat was a super cool moment for me \u2014 someone I\u2019ve studied and learned from, who\u2019s a superstar in this league.\u201d<\/p>\n Poulakidas said the key to Wednesday\u2019s performance was a deliberate reset in his mindset after several games in which open looks refused to fall \u2014 staying aggressive not because the shots had been going in, but because he knew they would.<\/p>\n \u201cI went into this game with the right mindset, just trying to refocus and stay aggressive,\u201d he said. \u201cThe last few games, I\u2019ve had good looks that didn\u2019t drop, but I know they will. So it\u2019s about staying confident, even when I\u2019m missing shots that I know I make every day.\u201d<\/p>\n Kidd zeroed in on something beyond the shooting line \u2014 the way Poulakidas competed defensively and made sound decisions in late-game situations that would test most rookies.<\/p>\n \u201cJohn was good,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cHe competed on both ends, offensively and defensively. I thought the group did a good job of finding him, and to have him in the game late to see how he would handle it \u2014 he made a big three. A lot of positives there. He\u2019s a competitor. He wants to win, he plays hard, and he\u2019s about the team.\u201d<\/p>\n Christie kept it simple.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, very impressive \u2014 8 for 12, 5 for 8, 23 points,\u201d Christie said. \u201cHe played really well. Obviously, he shot it very well and looked very confident out there, so that\u2019s exciting to see. I always knew he had some swagger, but he definitely showed it tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n Down 18, Dallas Mavericks Claw Back Within One<\/p>\n The third quarter looked like it might put this one away early. Phoenix opened the second half on a 16-0 run to push its lead to 18 at 71-53 with 9:34 remaining in the period. Booker and Brooks did most of the damage, with Collin Gillespie<\/a> adding to the surge as Dallas shot 8-of-23 from the floor in the quarter.<\/p>\n Dallas chipped away. Poulakidas hit a three-pointer with 6:30 remaining in the third to pull within six, and Flagg converted free throws and a driving bank shot to keep trimming the deficit. The Mavericks entered the fourth trailing 88-80.<\/p>\n The comeback bid nearly completed itself. A Christie three-pointer with 8:18 left gave Dallas a 95-93 lead \u2014 its first advantage since early in the first quarter. Booker answered immediately, draining a step-back three to put Phoenix back on top at 96-95. The Suns went on a nine-point run to push the lead to seven, and Dallas could not close the gap again despite connecting on 4 threes in the final two minutes.<\/p>\n Kidd acknowledged Dallas fumbled the finish but said the group\u2019s willingness to keep competing through a lopsided stretch was the more meaningful story.<\/p>\n \u201cJust being able to keep fighting,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cWe got to look at some other guys in some challenging situations, and those guys responded in a positive way. The group kept fighting and found a way to get back into the game. We had a good look at the end, just fumbled it a little bit there.\u201d<\/p>\n Christie pointed to a pattern \u2014 Dallas has now mounted significant comeback attempts multiple times in the season\u2019s final weeks \u2014 and said the competitiveness itself is what the team is trying to carry into next year.<\/p>\n \u201cWe continue to show fight and grit each and every game,\u201d he said. \u201cLast game in LA, we were down 20-something and ended up taking the lead at one point. So we\u2019ve got a lot of fight, and that\u2019s encouraging. We\u2019re trying to build habits for next season already, and it\u2019s a good step to continue to have that tenacity and keep playing.\u201d<\/p>\n Poulakidas said defending Booker and Brooks presented two entirely different problems \u2014 one of physicality, one of pedigree \u2014 and that the late lapses against Booker, more than anything else, cost Dallas its best chance.<\/p>\n \u201cBrooks is super physical, so that\u2019s a tough matchup,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd with Devin Booker, he\u2019s a superstar \u2014 it\u2019s not really about slowing him down, it\u2019s about containing him and making sure others don\u2019t beat you. Late in the game, we gave Booker some open looks that we shouldn\u2019t have, and that hurt us. But we were fighting all night, so I can\u2019t ask for much more from our group.\u201d<\/p>\n Cooper Flagg\u2019s Shooting Night Belies the Stat Sheet<\/p>\n Flagg went 4-of-19 from the floor. Kidd pushed back on treating the shooting line as the measure of his night, pointing instead to how much Flagg did to keep Dallas in the game without his shot falling.<\/p>\n \u201cHe had good looks,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cSometimes the ball goes in, sometimes it doesn\u2019t. He was aggressive, put us in position with his scoring, playmaking, and rebounding. I thought he did that really well tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n Flagg pulled down 12 rebounds, distributed 6 assists, and drew 3 fouls, resulting in free throws. His 12 rebounds were a game high for Dallas, and the performance pushed him to 33 games this season with at least 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists \u2014 more than the next two closest rookies combined (Derik Queen<\/a> has 15 such games, Kon Knueppel<\/a> has 12). He also tied LeBron James<\/a> for third on the all-time list of 10-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist games by a teenager in NBA history with five.<\/p>\n Poulakidas said what Flagg faces every night \u2014 the attention, the defensive schemes, the expectations \u2014 is a kind of stress that tends to reveal a player\u2019s character over time, and that what he sees from his teammate in the gym every day makes the results feel inevitable rather than surprising.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s going to see 3 or 4 defenders every single night,\u201d Poulakidas said. \u201cThis is his first season at this level, and with what\u2019s on his shoulders at such a young age, it\u2019s going to be amazing for his development. He\u2019s always working \u2014 I see him in the gym all the time. When you work that hard and love the game, things are going to work out in your favor.\u201d<\/p>\n Marvin Bagley III Stretches the Floor; Ryan Nembhard Runs a Clean Show<\/p>\n Bagley posted 20 points and 8 rebounds on an efficient shooting night, continuing a stretch in which he has been one of Dallas\u2019s most reliable offensive options. His ability to operate from the perimeter at the five created mismatches that Phoenix struggled to handle.<\/p>\n Kidd said Bagley\u2019s value right now extends well beyond scoring \u2014 his three-point shooting is opening up the driving lanes and playmaking angles that define the modern big man role.<\/p>\n \u201cBags was good,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cHe\u2019s been good for us \u2014 he\u2019s been able to score the ball. The game today is being able to shoot the three, and he\u2019s doing that at a high rate. He\u2019s also playmaking, rolling, finishing \u2014 he\u2019s doing it all for us right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Nembhard ran the offense cleanly in 32 minutes. His 7 assists and zero turnovers gave the Mavericks the kind of possession control needed to sustain a long comeback run without surrendering easy points on the other end.<\/p>\n Christie said what makes Nembhard effective isn\u2019t simply his decision-making but the way he balances his own scoring threat with his ability to find others \u2014 a balance that makes him difficult to key on.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a true floor general \u2014 7 assists, zero turnovers,\u201d Christie said. \u201cHe\u2019s always looking to pass, but he can score really well, too. He understands the balance between getting his own shot and finding others. He makes all of our jobs easier, gets us into our sets, and puts us in positions to be successful.\u201d<\/p>\n Moussa Cisse<\/a> delivered 11 points and 9 rebounds off the bench, with 2 blocks and an alley-oop dunk in the second quarter that helped Dallas answer a Phoenix run. Kidd said Cisse\u2019s value on Wednesday came from doing the unglamorous things at a high level \u2014 energy, effort, and finishing.<\/p>\n \u201cHis energy and effort \u2014 rebounding, blocking shots, and finishing on the other end,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cI thought he was really good tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks Power Suns Down the Stretch<\/p>\n Booker was the best player on the floor. His 37-point, 9-assist performance marked his second game this season with 35 or more points and 9 or more assists, and the 18th time he has reached those thresholds in his career. He has now scored 20 or more points in nine consecutive games and 30 or more in five of his last six, averaging 31.7 points across that span.<\/p>\n Brooks posted 10 of his 28 points in the third quarter, the 36th time he had a double-digit scoring quarter this season. His 1,119 points in 2025-26 rank ninth in franchise history through a player\u2019s first 55 games with the Suns.<\/p>\n Maluach\u2019s first career start produced the night\u2019s most unexpected storyline. He set career highs in rebounds (14) and minutes (30), and his 3 blocks included a fourth-quarter rejection on a Cisse dunk attempt that wiped out a Dallas possession during a tight stretch. He became just the second-youngest player since 2012-13 to post 14 or more rebounds and 3 or more blocks in a game, behind only Jalen Duren<\/a>.<\/p>\n Maluach\u2019s relationship with Flagg added texture to their matchup throughout. The two are former Duke teammates. Maluach said that the bond disappears the moment they step between the lines \u2014 and that blocking Flagg carried a particular satisfaction given what Flagg had promised before tip-off.<\/p>\n \u201cAs soon as we step on those lines, man, it\u2019s competition,\u201d Maluach said. \u201cWe go against each other and we\u2019re trying to do whatever it takes for our teams to win. The time we step off, that\u2019s my brother. Spent a lot of time together at school, and we are best friends.\u201d<\/p>\n He said Flagg had predicted a dunk on him before the game started, which made the block feel like a settled debt.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore the game, he was like, \u2018I\u2019m going to dunk on you,\u2019 and I was like, \u2018I\u2019ll try to block it,’\u201d Maluach said. \u201cIt always feels good to get a block, especially on a dunk. But it felt extra good because it was him.\u201d<\/p>\n Suns coach Jordan Ott said what Maluach\u2019s first start really reflected was how consistent he had been behind the scenes all season \u2014 that the performance was less a breakthrough than a confirmation.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s just a presence at the rim,\u201d Ott said. \u201cObviously, he helps with the rebounding piece, with a big block there in the fourth. Just good reps for him, good experience to get out there. That just speaks volumes to his progress that he\u2019s made over the course of the year. This is just the next step. Just can\u2019t duplicate that in anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n Booker said the off-court version of Maluach \u2014 the communication, the questions, the engagement during stretches when his role has been limited \u2014 made Wednesday\u2019s result feel like something the entire team had been waiting for.<\/p>\n \u201cKhaman stayed the course the entire year and just waited for his opportunity and thrived in it tonight,\u201d Booker said. \u201cI\u2019m super proud of him. I think this is a starting point for him that we\u2019ll look down years down the line and be like we knew that kid had it from the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n Box Score Notables<\/p>\n Kidd explained why Flagg was not on the floor for the final minutes despite his experience in late-game situations, framing it as a deliberate use of the season\u2019s final stretch to evaluate the rest of the roster under real pressure.<\/p>\n \u201cCooper has played in a lot of clutch games, and the whole team has,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cAt this point in the season, being able to evaluate others in those situations is our main objective.\u201d<\/p>\n AJ Johnson<\/a> handled ball-handling duties late in stretches but finished 1-of-11 from the field. Kidd said the shooting did not reflect how Johnson actually played \u2014 that the aggression and paint attack were the things he was looking for.<\/p>\n \u201cGetting into the paint and getting to the rim is something he\u2019s really good at, and I thought he did a really good job with that tonight,\u201d Kidd said.<\/p>\n Tyler Smith<\/a> scored 3 points and hit 1 three-pointer in 15 minutes. Dwight Powell<\/a> contributed 4 points and a pair of assists in 16 minutes, including the dime to Poulakidas on a corner three in the fourth.<\/p>\n Dallas shot 90.9% from the free-throw line (20-of-22). The Suns set a franchise record for three-pointers made in a season, with their eighth triple of the night becoming the 1,177th of the 2025-26 campaign.<\/p>\n Christie said the team\u2019s approach to finishing the final two games of the season stems from a desire to set a standard \u2014 not to coast through games with no playoff implications.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about building habits as a team and individually, just continuing to finish strong,\u201d Christie said. \u201cIt can be easy to relax with only two games left. I want the opposite of that \u2014 I want to keep improving, keep finding ways to get better, and build habits for next year.\u201d<\/p>\n Up Next<\/p>\n Dallas ends a three-game road trip on Friday in San Antonio against the Spurs before closing the regular season Monday at home against the Chicago Bulls.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"DHJ Quick Take: Finding Diamonds in the Desert The Poulakidas \u201cBlackout\u201d: In just his 11th NBA game, undrafted…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":706479,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3791],"tags":[7,6,2065,472,4045,604],"class_list":{"0":"post-706478","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-phoenix-suns","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-nba","10":"tag-phoenix","11":"tag-phoenix-suns","12":"tag-phoenixsuns","13":"tag-suns"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116373852202264617","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/706478","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=706478"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/706478\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/706479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=706478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=706478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=706478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}