Mavericks Overwhelmed By Hawks As Defensive Problems Persist

DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks wanted Friday night's preseason finale against the Atlanta Hawks to provide a glimpse of what their rebuilt roster could accomplish. Instead, they got another uncomfortable reminder of how much work remains before the regular season begins in a 135-111 home loss.

With Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg back on the floor together, Dallas struggled to contain Atlanta's offensive attack at American Airlines Center, falling behind by double digits in the first half and never mounting a sustained comeback.

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The Hawks led 73-54 at halftime and stretched their advantage to 101-78 through three quarters, exposing defensive problems that new Mavericks coach Dusty May hoped to address before opening night.

Dallas entered the contest looking to establish chemistry between Irving and Flagg, whose combination of scoring, passing and defensive instincts represents the foundation of the team's future.

There were encouraging moments.

Irving displayed his familiar shooting touch, knocking down several three-pointers and showing continued progress following his lengthy recovery from a torn ACL.

Flagg attacked the basket, contributed defensively and demonstrated his ability to create opportunities for teammates. His aggressive drives and willingness to initiate contact were among the brighter spots for Dallas.

But individual highlights couldn't overcome the Mavericks' defensive shortcomings.

Atlanta consistently found opportunities in transition and from beyond the arc, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson presenting difficult matchups for Dallas.

The Hawks repeatedly capitalized on defensive breakdowns, forcing the Mavericks to play from behind throughout much of the evening.

Even when Dallas generated offense, it struggled to string together the defensive stops necessary to make the contest competitive.

That should concern May, who emphasized the importance of establishing a defensive identity during training camp.

Before Friday's game, May described the matchup as the team's closest approximation of regular-season basketball.

"This will be the closest to a regular season game that we'll play just based on availability," May said Thursday.

Unfortunately, the results suggested Dallas still has significant adjustments to make.

The Mavericks had already experienced similar problems during Wednesday's 101-97 loss to New Orleans, when offensive inconsistency and poor shooting contributed to another disappointing performance.

The return of Irving and Flagg provided more offensive options against Atlanta, but the defense remained vulnerable.

Dallas will now turn its attention to Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Houston Rockets.

May has repeatedly emphasized building a foundation for long-term success, and the Mavericks have enough talent to become a dangerous offensive team.

But Friday's performance reinforced an important reality.

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Until Dallas starts defending consistently, even the combination of Irving and Flagg won't be enough to overcome its mistakes.

And with the regular season approaching, the time for experimentation is running out.