2 min read
Cooper Flagg posts career-high 12 assists with 25 points as Mavericks rout Nets 130-93
Cooper Flagg scored 14 of his 25 points in the first quarter and set a career high with 12 assists in just over 28 minutes as the Mavericks never trailed in a 130-93 win over the Nets, their biggest margin of the season.
The Dallas Mavericks never trailed, led by as many as 37 and beat the Brooklyn Nets 130-93 on Sunday night in Dallas. It was the Mavericks' largest margin of victory this season, beating a 24-point win over Oklahoma City on Oct. 28, and their 130 points were also a season high.
Flagg sets the table
Cooper Flagg scored 14 points in the first quarter, including a 25-foot pull-up 3-pointer at the buzzer that made it 33-26, and added a dunk and a free throw 11 seconds into the second for 17 points. From there he mostly set up teammates. He finished with 25 points on 8-for-13 shooting, 3-for-5 from 3-point range and 6-for-6 at the line, with 5 rebounds and a career-high 12 assists in 28:25. His previous best was 11 assists, done twice — against the Lakers on Nov. 28, 2025, and at Miami on Oct. 26 this season.
The second-year forward is averaging 24.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 7.0 assists through nine games.
Kyrie Irving added 21 points on 9-for-15 shooting in 28:45, and Daniel Gafford scored 18 on 7-for-8 from the field with three blocks in 19 minutes. Santi Aldama had 12 off the bench and Zaccharie Risacher 11.
How it got away from Brooklyn
The Nets stayed within 30-26 late in the first quarter thanks to Michael Porter Jr., who hit three 3-pointers in the final 2:51 of the period. Dallas then won the second quarter 33-20 — a 10-0 run early in the period stretched a 44-32 lead to 54-32 — and led 66-46 at halftime. A 9-0 burst spanning the end of the third and start of the fourth made it 103-71, and the reserves closed with an 11-0 run.
Dallas shot 48-for-84 (57.1%) with 31 assists on 48 baskets and outrebounded Brooklyn 46-30. The Mavericks' one blemish was 20 turnovers.
Brooklyn shot 31-for-80 (38.8%) and 11-for-39 from deep. Porter led the Nets with 19 points and 9 rebounds but went 5-for-15. Nolan Traore scored 14 on 6-for-15, and Julius Randle had 13 points and was minus-33 in 30:16. The Nets were on the second night of a back-to-back after losing 124-121 at Atlanta on Saturday.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nets | 26 | 20 | 25 | 22 | 93 |
| Mavericks◂ | 33 | 33 | 34 | 30 | 130 |
What's next
The Mavericks (6-4) have won two straight and host Indiana on Monday, Nov. 9, on the second night of a back-to-back. The Nets (2-8) have lost two in a row and play at New Orleans on Wednesday, Nov. 11.