Mavericks navigate blizzard chaos, deliver season-best offense for Kidd's 200th win against Nets.
BROOKLYN — The Dallas Mavericks landed in New York only hours before tipoff, then delivered one of their sharpest offensive performances of the season.
Marvin Bagley III scored 22 points off the bench, Naji Marshall added 21, and the Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 123-114 on Tuesday night at Barclays Center, closing a snow-delayed road trip at 2-1.
A weekend blizzard shut down flights into the New York area and forced both teams into altered routines. Dallas remained in Indiana after Sunday’s win over the Pacers, while Brooklyn stayed in Atlanta following its loss to the Hawks. Both teams flew into New York on Tuesday afternoon, arriving at their hotels just hours before pregame warmups.
The compressed schedule and disrupted preparation did little to slow Dallas.
The Mavericks shot 58.5% from the field, dominated the glass 44-28, and erupted for a season-high 76 points in the first half. It marked their second consecutive win after a 10-game losing streak and improved them to 21-36 overall and 7-20 on the road.
Brooklyn made a serious push midway through the fourth quarter when Terance Mann drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the deficit to two. But Dallas never panicked. Klay Thompson answered with a 30-foot 3-pointer, and the Mavericks tightened defensively to rebuild separation down the stretch.
Afterward, head coach Jason Kidd emphasized the poise his group showed when the momentum shifted.
“You have to give them credit. They play hard. Jordy has those guys playing hard. They don’t quit,” Kidd said. “As you said, they got it down to two. I thought having vets helped. There was no panic on our side. We’ve seen a lot. We talked about it before the game — no excuses. Both teams flew in this afternoon, both teams played hard. There’s a lot of trust with that group. I thought Klay made a big shot. But our defense tightened up, and that’s what allowed us to extend the lead again.”
The win also carried historical significance for Kidd. It was his 200th victory as Mavericks head coach, achieved in 385 games, joining Rick Carlisle, Don Nelson and Dick Motta as the only coaches in franchise history to reach that milestone.
“It was nice,” Kidd said, the game ball sitting beside him. “The team presented the ball. But as I told them, the players get the wins, the coaches get the losses. To get 200 wins, I’ll have them all sign the ball. But this is about the players. I’m along for the ride. I’m here to help them achieve their goals. As the Mavericks, we want to build a championship team and hoist the trophy. I think we’re going in the right direction right now.”
Bagley continued to look comfortable in his role, shooting 10 of 13 from the field and helping the bench outscore Brooklyn’s reserves 61-36. His interior presence gave Dallas stability when the Nets increased their defensive pressure.
“We just tried to make reads,” Bagley said. “Tried to do what was working for us the whole game and make great reads out of the plays we were running. We were playing off each other and stuck with it all night. It was working. Guys were knocking down shots. We just stayed with that and continued to build on it.”
When Brooklyn closed the gap late, Bagley pointed to defensive communication as the separator.
“Communication — that’s the biggest thing for us,” he said. “Guys were talking to each other out there, and that’s what you have to have to be a good defensive team and get stops. Things happen on the fly, so being able to talk things out and communicate is huge. That’s what we did tonight.”
Brandon Williams added 19 points and 10 assists for his first double-double as a Maverick and third of his career, continuing a stretch of efficient scoring and steady playmaking. He finished 9 of 11 from the field and repeatedly collapsed the defense off the dribble.
Reflecting on the unusual same-day travel, Williams compared it to his earlier basketball experiences.
“It’s a little crazy,” Williams said. “But at the end of the day, you’ve just got to go out there and do your job — no matter what it looks like, what time you get in or anything like that. It kind of brings you back to AAU-type vibes. It’s nothing we haven’t seen before.”
Williams credited veteran guards for helping him grow into a more controlled playmaker.
“I’m just doing whatever it takes — offensively and defensively,” he said. “Offensively, I’m taking what the defense gives. Obviously, everybody knows about Kyrie, but I lean on the floor-setters for our team — Ryan Nembhard and Tyus Jones. I’m always asking those guys what they’re seeing out there and putting that into my game. Ultimately, that leads to wins.”
The Mavericks have now played an NBA-high 37 games decided within five points in the final five minutes and improved to 15-22 in those contests. While inconsistency has defined much of their season, resilience defined this trip.
They return home Thursday to host the Sacramento Kings, carrying momentum forged through two wins, disciplined offense, and a blizzard that ultimately failed to slow them down.