The Mavericks beat the Nets 119-111, but a shaky finish and defensive lapses nearly spoiled dominant nights from Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg.
The Dallas Mavericks returned from a six-day break and barely escaped with a 119-111 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night, but not without leaving plenty of questions on the table.
Despite winning five of their last six, the Mavs looked like a team still trying to shake off rust, relying on late-game heroics and interior dominance from Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg to close out a chaotic, back-and-forth battle.
The lead never stretched past two possessions until the final 30 seconds.
The game featured 23 lead changes and 16 ties, a tug-of-war fueled by Brooklyn's red-hot perimeter shooting and Dallas' defensive inconsistencies.
Cooper Flagg, who has steadily turned the corner after early-season struggles, exploded for 12 first-quarter points and finished with efficient rim scoring. He went 9-of-12 inside the restricted area, a huge leap from his finishing percentages to start the year.
The former No. 1 pick is starting to figure it out.
On the other end, Michael Porter Jr. kept the Nets alive with a 6-of-10 shooting night from three, while Danny Wolf added a surprising 17 off the bench for Brooklyn, slicing through Dallas' second unit with ease.
Still, when the game tilted late, it was Anthony Davis who flipped the switch. After a quiet first half, he posted a 20-point second half, finishing with 24 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks, anchoring the Mavericks in crunch time.
But even with Davis dominating, the Mavs almost threw it away.
Missed open shots, including a 5-on-4 brick in the final minutes, and two missed free throws from P.J. Washington with 45 seconds left kept the door open. Washington redeemed himself by sinking a pair with 24 seconds remaining, finally sealing the win.
It was also a rough night for Ryan Nembhard, who had his worst performance since becoming a starter ... something to watch closely moving forward.
The Mavericks got the win, but it was far from pretty.
Davis looked elite at center again, Flagg continued to evolve, and Dallas escaped. But if they want to be taken seriously, the execution in the final five minutes has to improve ... fast.