The Dallas Mavericks are in a free fall, and Tuesday night’s 110-100 loss to the Boston Celtics at American Airlines Center was just the latest chapter in a tough stretch for a shorthanded squad trying to stay afloat. With key rotation players P.J. Washington (head), Brandon Williams (leg), and D’Angelo Russell (illness) all sidelined - and Daniel Gafford going down again with another ankle issue - the Mavs dropped their fifth straight, and they looked every bit the part of a team searching for answers.
Jaylen Brown wasted no time setting the tone, dropping 15 points and grabbing five boards in the opening quarter. It was a clear signal that the Celtics came ready to handle business.
But credit to the Mavericks - at least early - for punching back. Cooper Flagg and Caleb Martin combined for 15 points in the first, keeping Dallas within striking distance.
Martin’s connection with Flagg on a high-flying alley-oop in transition gave the Mavs a brief 12-9 lead and injected some much-needed energy into the building.
Klay Thompson opened the second quarter with a three to tie things at 32, but Boston responded with a sharp 9-2 run, forcing Jason Kidd to burn a timeout. That didn’t stop the bleeding.
The Celtics tacked on eight more unanswered points after the break, and suddenly the Mavericks were staring at a 50-36 deficit midway through the second. Dallas went ice-cold during that stretch, going nearly four minutes without a bucket and shooting just 7-of-22 in the quarter, including a rough 1-of-9 from deep.
Still, a late 10-2 run gave the Mavs a glimmer of hope heading into halftime, trailing just 52-44. Flagg opened the third quarter with a tough jumper to keep that momentum going, and moments later delivered a highlight-reel chase-down block on Baylor Scheierman.
Max Christie knocked down his first triple of the night to cut the lead to seven, but Luka Garza answered with back-to-back threes that pushed the Celtics’ lead to 15 with under four minutes left in the third. It was a gut punch Dallas couldn’t recover from.
By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Brown had already racked up 25 points and 10 rebounds. He sat to start the final frame, but Boston kept humming without him. The lead hovered near 20 for much of the quarter, and although Flagg kept firing - and kept hitting - it wasn’t enough.
Flagg nailed a three with eight minutes to go to give him 33 points on the night, pushing his season average north of 20 per game. The 19-year-old continues to make history: he’s now the only teenager in NBA history to score 30+ in three straight games, and the first rookie to drop 34 or more in three straight since Trae Young back in 2018. He finished with 36 points, nine rebounds, and six assists - another monster stat line in what’s becoming a frustratingly familiar outcome.
Brown returned with nine minutes left to squash any comeback hopes. He powered through the lane for two more, then floated a teardrop over Flagg to extend Boston’s lead to 104-89. He finished with 33 points and 11 boards, leading the way for a Celtics team that continues to look like a real problem in the East.
Dallas’ Depth Problem
It’s not hard to see why Dallas is reportedly keeping the phone lines open as the trade deadline approaches. Outside of Flagg, it’s tough to find consistent contributors on this roster right now.
Injuries have decimated the rotation, sure - but even the healthy pieces aren’t moving the needle. Caleb Martin has been solid, and Naji Marshall has had his moments, but the guard play has been stagnant, and the bench production is nearly nonexistent.
The Celtics knew exactly where the threat was coming from and threw everything at Flagg. The Mavs needed someone else to step up - anyone - and it just didn’t happen. Boston’s defense dared the rest of the roster to beat them, and the challenge went unanswered.
Gafford’s Tough Night
Daniel Gafford’s night was a microcosm of his season. Late in the second quarter, he went down again - this time with what looked like another right ankle injury, the same one that’s been bothering him since training camp. He was helped to the locker room just before halftime, and any hopes of showcasing him for a potential trade took a serious hit.
Surprisingly, Gafford returned midway through the third and immediately looked uncomfortable, wincing after grabbing a rebound. But to his credit, he kept battling.
He threw down a putback dunk and finished with eight points and eight rebounds in just 17 minutes. He even bullied his way through Garza for a tough bucket late in the third, though it was wiped out on review.
It was a gritty showing in a tough spot, and one that might at least keep his name in trade conversations.
Bench Battle: Not Even Close
Boston’s bench delivered in a big way - 26 points from Peyton Pritchard and 16 from Garza, who went a perfect 4-for-4 from deep. That’s 44 bench points for the Celtics, compared to just 22 for Dallas.
The disparity was glaring, especially as the game wore on and the Celtics’ depth helped them maintain control. After a slow start from beyond the arc, Boston found their rhythm, hitting 7-of-14 from deep to close out the game.
For the Mavericks, the issues run deeper than just a cold shooting night or a couple of injuries. This team is struggling to find cohesion, identity, and support around its young star. Flagg continues to dazzle, but unless the front office can find a way to inject some life into the roster - and fast - this season could slip away for good.