On a night that started like a shootout and ended with a statement, the Dallas Mavericks dug deep and found something that’s been missing for much of their season: resilience, balance, and a spark from the most unexpected of places.
In a 131-121 win over the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena, Dallas didn’t just outlast the defending champs-they outplayed them when it mattered most. And while the box score will show familiar names like Nikola Jokic and Anthony Davis stuffing stat lines, it was two undrafted rookies on two-way contracts-Ryan Nembhard and Spencer Jones-who stole the spotlight and gave the Mavericks a glimpse of what their future might look like.
Let’s start with Nembhard, who looked nothing like a rookie, let alone an undrafted one. The 23-year-old point guard put up a career-high 28 points on a scorching 12-of-14 shooting night, dished out 10 assists, and-maybe most impressively-didn’t turn the ball over once in 35 minutes.
That’s not just efficient; that’s poised, polished basketball from a player still finding his footing in the league. His 10 assists now stand as the most ever by an undrafted rookie in a single game in Mavericks history.
This wasn’t just a hot night. It was a breakout.
Then there was Spencer Jones, who came out firing in the opening quarter and helped Denver build an early 17-point lead. He dropped 14 in that first frame alone-just two shy of his career high for an entire game-and finished with 28 points on 11-of-15 shooting, including four triples. Together, Nembhard and Jones delivered the two highest-scoring games by two-way players in the NBA this season, and they did it on the same floor, in the same game, against the defending champions.
But the Mavericks didn’t just ride the rookies. They rallied as a team after a sluggish start that saw them give up 41 points in the first quarter. The second quarter flipped the script: Dallas outscored Denver 42-27, with Nembhard leading the charge by hitting five straight shots to help close the gap.
In the fourth, with the Nuggets mired in an 0-for-11 shooting drought, Nembhard delivered again-this time with a smooth fadeaway jumper under two minutes to play, pushing Dallas’ lead to its largest margin. Moments later, he found Max Christie in the corner for a dagger three, notching his 10th assist and putting the game out of reach.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Nuggets game without Nikola Jokic doing something absurd. The three-time MVP racked up his 11th triple-double in just 20 games this season, finishing with 29 points, 20 rebounds, and 13 assists.
He had five assists in the first five minutes of the third quarter alone. And yet, somehow, that wasn’t even among the five fastest triple-doubles of his career.
That’s the level Jokic is operating on-a walking anomaly.
On the other side, Anthony Davis looked every bit like the All-NBA force he’s been when healthy. In just his second game back from a calf strain that sidelined him for a month, Davis led all scorers at halftime with 21 points in 16 minutes. He finished with a season-high 32 points and 13 rebounds, pacing the Nuggets and keeping them in striking distance until the final stretch.
And then there’s Cooper Flagg. After two historic performances last week, the No. 1 overall pick kept the momentum rolling with 24 points in what was Dallas’ most efficient offensive performance of the season. He didn’t need to take over-he just had to keep the engine running, and that’s exactly what he did.
The win marks Dallas’ first back-to-back victories since March, a small but meaningful milestone for a team that’s still trying to find consistency. Now sitting at 7-15, the Mavs will look to build on this momentum when they host the Miami Heat on Wednesday night, with the game broadcast live on NBATV.
For a team that’s been searching for identity and direction, Monday night in Denver might’ve been more than just a win-it might’ve been the night things started to click.