Cooper Flagg ignited a stunning comeback, overcoming a 15-point deficit. Naji Marshall sealed the clutch win, showcasing a young team's resilience.
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks have spent most of the last three weeks circling the same problem: how to finish a close game. On Friday night, they finally solved it — and fittingly, it came behind their 18-year-old franchise cornerstone.
Cooper Flagg delivered the best performance of his young career, Naji Marshall hit the defining shot against his former team, and the Mavericks closed out a tense 118–115 win over the New Orleans Pelicans in NBA Cup play. Dallas erased a 15-point deficit, survived a final sequence of contested threes, and secured just its fifth win of the season — and one that had to be earned possession by possession.
Here are five takeaways from the victory.
1. Cooper Flagg Took Over the Final Minutes Like a Veteran Star
This was the first game where Flagg’s talent, patience, and instinct all converged at once. He finished with 29 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals, but it was the when and how that mattered most. After the Mavericks fell behind 115–111 with 80 seconds left, Flagg steadied everything.
He backed down Jeremiah Fears, absorbed contact, and banked in a contested jumper to cut the deficit to two. On the next trip, after Zion Williamson missed inside, Flagg drew a second defender and found Marshall wide open at the top of the arc for the go-ahead three — a sequence Kidd highlighted afterward.
“With Cooper he’s done that for us all season — a big rebound, a big block, a big basket,” Kidd said. “He’s not afraid of getting the ball, and he seems like he’s been there before… For an 18-year-old, that’s pretty special.”
Flagg said Kidd’s halftime message reshaped his approach.
“He told me I needed to be more aggressive driving to the rim,” Flagg said. “Put more pressure on the defense, find teammates. That was his message.”
And he delivered it.
2. Max Christie Played His Most Complete Game As a Maverick
Dallas doesn’t win without Christie steadying the offense and taking on the Pelicans’ toughest perimeter assignments. He scored 23 points, tied a career best with five made threes, and knocked down the two free throws that pushed Dallas ahead 118–115 with 10.9 seconds left.
Just as important was eliminating Trey Murphy III’s rhythm in the second half. The Pelicans, who hit five threes in the first five minutes, went 0-for-12 from deep after halftime, much of that due to Christie’s screen navigation and contests.
“That’s my game,” Christie said. “Being able to play both ends. Coop did a great job down the stretch, PJ played really well… We all contributed in a good way today.”
When asked about Flagg’s closing ability, Christie emphasized what teammates see daily.
“He’s poised. He’s very confident. He’s not afraid to rise to the occasion. And for an 18-year-old, that’s unbelievable.”
3. P.J. Washington’s Two-Way Force Shaped Every Major Run
Washington’s 24 points, nine rebounds, three blocks and five threes came in moments Dallas desperately needed stability. He hit pace-setting triples in the first half, switched onto four different positions, disrupted Derik Queen inside, and provided the final defensive stamp by securing the last rebound through contact with four seconds left.
Kidd said Washington’s workload has become one of the team’s stabilizers.
“He scored 20 points while guarding some of their better players,” Kidd said. “He came up with some big defensive plays. And he made some big threes for us down the stretch.”
The Mavericks are now 6–0 when Washington hits at least five threes — a trend that underscores how essential his spacing is around Flagg and Christie.
4. Brandon Williams’ 12 Assists Held the Offense Together
The scoring came from Dallas’ front line, but Williams’ 12 assists were the backbone of every offensive run. He played with pace, collapsed the defense, and found shooters and cutters on time — keeping the offense balanced even in non-traditional lineups.
His eight first-half assists kept Dallas from falling too far behind, and he tied his career high from 2022 while committing just one turnover during the Mavericks’ decisive closing stretch.
“B Will is the fastest guy in the NBA,” Christie said.
Kidd said Williams’ approach created structure when the Mavericks needed it most.
“I thought the guys attacked, and we shared the ball,” Kidd said. “We connected the dots.”
5. Dallas Finally Closed a Clutch Game — Something That Has Eluded Them All Season
This was the defining storyline. The Mavericks entered Friday just 4–9 in clutch games, with most losses following the same recipe: late turnovers, missed rebounds, and empty possessions.
This time, Dallas reversed every one of those trends.
They closed the game on a 7–0 run, shut out the Pelicans over the final 1:20, forced Fears into difficult jumpers, denied Williamson deep catches, and survived three potential tying threes in the final seconds.
Christie said the defensive recalibration after halftime set the tone.
“They hit five threes in the first five minutes,” he said. “Twos don’t hurt us as much as threes… That 22-point third quarter got us back in it.”
Kidd said the win reflected the group’s identity more than its record.
“They never feel they're out of the game,” he said. “Illness, injury — they trust each other. We can stay together through a tough time and find a way to win. And we did that tonight.”
For a team that’s taken every kind of punch this month, this was the first example of punching back — and finishing the job.