The Mavericks cruised past the Nets 123-114. The Mavericks were led by a dominant front-court effort with 22 points from Marvin Bagley, and Naji Marshall had 19. The Nets lost to Michael Porter Jr.’s 26.
The Mavericks closed the first quarter up 36–29, fueled by Naji Marshall’s downhill scoring and Daniel Gafford’s interior finishes, while Klay Thompson added timely threes to stretch the floor. Dallas was sharp offensively early, moving the ball and capitalizing on Brooklyn’s defensive breakdowns rather than playing chaotic basketball. Marvin Bagley III gave strong minutes off the bench, scoring efficiently in the paint with tip-ins and hooks that kept the pressure on the rim. The second quarter turned into a scoring duel, but Dallas never fully surrendered control. Marshall continued attacking, Middleton steadied possessions with midrange buckets and free throws, and Thompson added more perimeter shot-making as the lead stretched. Brooklyn answered through Claxton’s rim runs and Porter Jr.’s scoring bursts, but the Mavericks kept stacking efficient possessions and went into halftime up 76–64. Unlike some of their recent games, this half was defined by offensive rhythm and composure rather than turnovers and stalled stretches.
The second half was about maintaining control and answering every Brooklyn push. In the third quarter, Dallas kept the offense humming, trading makes but never letting the lead truly shrink. Brandon Williams continued his efficient scoring with pull-up jumpers and drives, Bagley finished an alley-oop and added interior touch, and Klay Thompson mixed in perimeter shot-making to keep the spacing honest. Brooklyn had moments, including a Michael Porter Jr. dunk and some midrange scoring, but Dallas consistently answered and carried a 99–91 edge. The fourth quarter never turned into a collapse either. Naji Marshall attacked downhill and lived at the line early, Bagley added another interior finish and controlled the glass, and Gafford chipped in with a free throw and putback to steady things. Brooklyn tried to generate late energy through T. Mann threes and pull-ups, but the Mavericks’ efficiency and rebounding edge held firm. The box score shows Dallas finishing at 58.5 percent from the field and winning the assist battle 26 to 29 while limiting turnovers to 11 total
Marvin Bagley III was a legitimate swing factor in this game. In just 19 and a half minutes, he poured in 22 points on 10 of 13 shooting, finishing everything around the rim and converting at a ridiculous 76.9 percent clip. His scoring was not empty volume either. It came at moments when Dallas needed to steady the offense or respond to Brooklyn runs. Alley-oops, hooks, quick seals in transition, second-chance finishes, every touch felt purposeful. When the Mavericks went inside, good things happened, and Bagley was at the center of that pressure.
More importantly, this was not an isolated explosion. Over the last few games, Bagley has quietly stacked efficient outings, rebounding consistently and finishing at a high rate without demanding touches. He looks more comfortable within the system, playing off movement rather than trying to create outside his role. If this stretch continues, it is more than fair to say he deserves a real look in training camp next season. Dallas is always searching for dependable frontcourt depth, and performances like this show he can provide interior scoring and energy in limited minutes. At a minimum, he has earned the opportunity to compete for a roster spot based on what he has shown recently.
66: Mavericks points in the paint
Dallas’s 66 points in the paint were the defining factor in the game. That number reflects dominance, not just shot selection. The Mavericks attacked relentlessly, forcing Brooklyn to defend the rim on nearly every possession. Bagley’s efficiency, Gafford’s rim runs and putbacks, Marshall’s downhill drives, and Washington’s interior finishes all compounded into constant pressure. Instead of settling for contested jumpers, Dallas played through contact and punished soft rotations.
That interior emphasis controlled the flow of the game. It neutralized Brooklyn’s perimeter rhythm, limited long rebounds that fuel transition, and allowed Dallas to score efficiently even when outside shots cooled. When a team generates 66 points at the rim, it usually means they dictated physicality and tempo. That was exactly the case here. The Mavericks did not win this one from the three-point line. They won it by overwhelming the paint and never letting up.