Cooper Flagg
Getty
Cooper Flagg has been a bright spot for the Mavericks this season
The Dallas Mavericks finally got one. Sunday’s 134-130 win over the Indiana Pacers ended a losing streak that had stretched out to ten games. Khris Middleton led the way with 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting. P.J. Washington delivered 23 points and 9 rebounds in one of his best performances of the season.
Tuesday brings a trip to Barclays Center to face the Brooklyn Nets. It is a chance to build on something that has been in short supply in Dallas for a month.
The injury report ahead of the game is worth paying attention to.
Flagg’s Status for Tuesday’s Matchup
Cooper Flagg has been ruled out for Tuesday’s game with a foot injury.
The absence continues to sting. Flagg was averaging 20.4 points per game before going down and has missed Dallas’s last several games as the foot continues to be managed carefully. There is no reason to rush him back with the Mavericks sitting 20-36 and nothing pressing on the line. What matters is that he returns healthy.
He is not the only name on the report. Daniel Gafford carries a questionable designation with an ankle issue. Caleb Martin is listed as probable with a sprained left ankle but is trending toward playing.
Beyond the immediate report, Kyrie Irving is done for the season with a knee injury and Dereck Lively II is also out after undergoing foot surgery in December. It is a significant amount of talent sitting on the sidelines for a franchise trying to find its footing around its rookie centerpiece.
Cooper Flagg Muse
REPORT: Cooper Flagg remains out for tomorrow’s game against the Nets.
What the Mavericks Need at Barclays
Sunday showed what this group is capable of when things click. Six players finished in double figures against Indiana. The ball moved, the turnovers were controlled and when the Pacers made their pushes, Dallas had answers.
Middleton was the standout. Naji Marshall added 17 points and Max Christie chipped in with 16 of his own. The depth showed up when it needed to.
Washington delivered one of his better performances of the season on Sunday. 23 points, 9 rebounds and the kind of decisiveness that has been absent at times this year. It was one game but an encouraging one. Dallas will need more of it.
If Gafford is available, his rim protection and interior presence give Dallas another dimension. Klay Thompson provides perimeter shooting depth. Marvin Bagley III has quietly put together some strong performances and gives the frontcourt some real energy.
What Brooklyn Brings
The Nets arrive at Tuesday’s game at 15-41, last in the Eastern Conference and on a four-game losing streak. Their most recent outing was a 115-104 defeat to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
Michael Porter Jr. is Brooklyn’s primary offensive option, averaging 24.5 points per game this season. Nic Claxton provides interior presence with 12.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Nolan Traore has averaged 12.4 points over the last ten games and gives Brooklyn a capable secondary option in the backcourt.
One factor beyond the injury report is worth noting. A historic blizzard has hit the Northeast, grounding the Nets’ plane in Atlanta and raising the possibility that Tuesday’s game could be postponed. Whether the game tips off as scheduled at 7:30pm ET at Barclays Center remains to be seen.
GettyBrooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. shoots the ball. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Final Word for the Mavericks
Dallas got what it needed on Sunday. A full team effort, a controlled performance and a result that stops the bleeding. The next step is showing it was not a one-off.
Brooklyn is there for the taking. The Mavericks have the players to take advantage of it. Whether the blizzard lets them is another question entirely.
Flagg will return when the foot is right. In the meantime, this group has shown it can win without him. Sunday proved that much.