DENVER — It was something of a badge of honor when the Mavericks opened the 2000s with 11 straight seasons of 50 or more victories.
In all they’ve achieved 14 such seasons this century, two of them under fifth-year coach Jason Kidd.
In the NBA and life there invariably are valleys, so it’s our duty to inform MFFLs that the Mavericks’ 142-135 loss to Denver here in Ball Arena on Wednesday night was defeat No. 50 in this mercifully waning season.
Perhaps appropriately, Nuggets guard Jamal Murray also eclipsed 50 – as in points, with 53.
Mavericks
Glass-half-empty Mavericks perspective: Fifty defeats is lamentable any season, but especially in this case, given that the franchise viewed itself as a potential Western Conference contender before the season.
Half-full: This is Dallas’ first 50-loss season since 2017-18 – and only the second time it has reached 50 or more defeats in the last 28 seasons.
“I think when you look at the record, sometimes the record isn’t the truth,” said Kidd, whose team committed just four turnovers — none in the first half — but suffered yet another clutch-game loss.
“But it is. It’s what our record is. We have that many wins and that many losses. That’s why you keep score. For us, we’ve been in a lot of close games, but unfortunately just haven’t won. Something for us to learn from.”
With Nikola Jokic (23 points, 21 rebounds, 19 assists) and the Nuggets (46-28) coming off a late-night win in Phoenix, the Mavericks (23-50) kept it close throughout. Overcoming a 111-100 deficit entering the fourth quarter, they pulled within 127-126 on a Max Christie 3-pointer with 4:20 left.
The Nuggets scored the next six points, however, as the Mavericks suffered a turnover and two missed Brandon Williams free-throws. A pair of Murray 3-pointers extended Denver’s lead to 138-128 with 1:41 left.
And so despite 26 points by Cooper Flagg, 22 Naji Marshall and 19 points and 15 rebounds by P.J. Washington, Dallas played and lost another clutch game, its NBA-high 42nd of the season. Close games and defeats seem inevitable for a Dallas team that has lost five straight; 14 of its last 16; and 24 of its last 28.
“I think it will just be a great experience for us overall,” said Flagg, when asked what the Mavericks might ultimately get from playing so many close games. “A lot of these games are coming down to the wire.
“Just getting this experience, personally I think will be great for me to develop and get comfortable.”
The Mavericks were coming off consecutive overtime home losses, 138-131 and 137-131 to the Clippers and Warriors.
Dallas is 15-27 in clutch games, defined as games in which the margin is five points or fewer in the last five minutes of regulation. Kidd was asked whether playing so many close games can have a positive impact on next season.
“Yeah, I think there is a carryover,” he said. “You have to go through it in any sport.”
Kidd then referenced a local team, the Broncos, whose coach, Sean Payton, sat courtside on Wednesday night.
“The Broncos [in 2024] played a lot of one possession games and lost,” Kidd said. “This year they were extremely good in the one-score games.
“And so you have to go through it. We’re going through it right now, and as you go into next season, you have seen different patterns in the sense of being able to have Cooper with the ball, he’s found his teammates open for shots. They just didn’t go down. That’s just the nature of the game.
“And we believe next year that those shots will go down.”
Lately, more of teammates’ shots are falling. That’s why, since returning 12 games ago from a left midfoot sprain, Flagg is averaging 6.9 assists.
“Well, I think it’s decision-making,” Kidd said of Flagg. “But also on the other side, his teammates are making shots. Early on in the season, we weren’t shooting the ball straight.”
The biggest problem is the Mavericks’ defense has become a sieve. Since mid-January, Dallas is allowing 121.8 points per game.
Afterward, 19-year-old Flagg stared at the box score almost in disbelief, not only about Murray’s 53 points but Jokic’s near 20-20-20 triple-double.
“It was incredible, just the way he was looking to impact the game,” he said of Jokic. “And at some points it feels like he’s not even trying out there and to get 20-20-20. It’s crazy to be part of that out there.”
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