Cooper Flagg delivered another standout performance Sunday afternoon, helping the Dallas Mavericks bounce back from a blowout loss with a 130–120 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Flagg scored 27 points while adding 10 assists and six rebounds in 33 minutes, shooting 10 of 17 from the field. It marked the 12th time this season the rookie — the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft — has scored at least 27 points.
Naji Marshall contributed 25 points and P.J. Washington finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds as Dallas snapped a seven-game losing streak against Cleveland. The win also helped the Mavericks recover after a 138–105 loss to the Cavaliers just two days earlier and marked only their second victory in the last 11 games.
Cleveland was led by Donovan Mitchell with 26 points, while Max Strus scored 24 in his season debut after missing the Cavaliers’ first 67 games with a broken left foot. Strus suffered a Jones fracture — a break in the bone connecting the little toe to the base of the foot — during offseason training and underwent surgery on Aug. 26.
Dallas capitalized on Cleveland’s mistakes, forcing 16 turnovers that turned into 25 Mavericks points.
The teams traded momentum throughout the first half, which featured 11 lead changes and seven ties before Dallas carried a slim 60–59 advantage into halftime.
The Mavericks created separation early in the third quarter, scoring the first seven points and stretching their lead to 78–67 on a 3-pointer by Ryan Nembhard with 7:20 remaining.
Cleveland trimmed the deficit to seven before Dallas responded with a 10–2 run late in the quarter to regain control.
Rookie John Poulakidas made an impact in just his second NBA appearance, scoring 10 points. The Yale product, who signed a two-way contract on March 1, poured in eight points in the third quarter.
Dallas pushed its advantage to 21 points in the fourth before Cleveland mounted a late rally, but the Mavericks held on to secure the win.
Up next: The Dallas Mavericks visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, while the Cleveland Cavaliers travel to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.
