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Oct 24, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) reacts before the game against the Washington Wizards at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

3 overreactions as Mavericks lose embarrassingly to lowly Wizards, 117-107

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated Oct 24, 2025 11:04 PM ET

The Dallas Mavericks stayed at home after being embarrassed in the season-opener at the hands of Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. They looked to bounce back against the lowly Washington Wizards, at least, they were expected to be.

So, when you look up near the end of the third quarter and find the Mavericks down by 17, it's not a great look. Dallas started great, holding an early 14-point lead in the first quarter, as the Wizards got out to another awful start, following their trend of the first game. But they closed the first quarter with a hot shooting stretch from three, and the Mavericks followed that up by missing their first 10 shots and turning it over three times.

And Washington's three-point shooting never cooled down. Kyshawn George was red-hot all night, as he ended up with a career-high 34 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 7/9 from three. And sixth overall pick Tre Johnson rebounded from missing his first few shots to finish with 17 points in his return to Texas.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks once again looked completely lost on both ends of the floor. They have no identity. Yes, they're missing Kyrie Irving, but it should not be THIS hard to generate offense. Yes, they have great defenders, but the defensive product overall has been bad.

Dallas started to make a comeback at the start of the fourth quarter, as they used Naji Marshall to pester ball-handlers up the floor. Cooper Flagg scored six straight points midway through the fourth to cut the lead to four, including a powerful flush after getting by Khris Middleton. But the mistakes piled back up with multiple turnovers and missed free throws.

The Wizards tried their hardest to lose this game. They really did. But they made enough shots down the stretch to win, 117-107.

Cooper Flagg was at least better in his second game, finishing with 18 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds, but he also had 5 turnovers.

Here are three overreactions from this game, and they may not even be overreactions.

1. The Mavericks Might Have the Worst Offense in the NBA

It's embarrassing how dreadful this offense is, and yet it's not at all surprising. The lack of playmaking was a concern heading into the season, and it's been awful. Yes, Kyrie Irving is hurt, but the Mavs knew he would be hurt. Their answer was to sign D'Angelo Russell, who only played about 10 minutes in this game.

Dallas had 21 turnovers, shot 10/34 from three, missed multiple wide-open layups, and is still trying to make the Cooper Flagg point guard experiment work, when it just won't right now. The team at least looked passable when they had a real point guard in the lineup.

Even with Kyrie Irving, this offense would be average, at best. As electric as Irving is, his playmaking for others isn't the strongest part of his game (I am not saying he's a bad playmaker or passer, just that he's better as a scorer).

2. P.J. Washington Has Been the Best Player Through Two Games

It hasn't always been pretty for P.J. Washington, especially with the turnovers in this game (he had 8), but he's been the most consistent player through two games. He hustles, he rebounds, he gets after it defensively, and he's shot the ball well. His mid-range shot looks MUCH improved.

But if P.J. Washington is the best-performing player, that's not a great look for the rest of the team. Washington has shown that he's well worth the extension he was given, but he shouldn't be the best player. The growth we've seen from him is incredible and worth celebrating, but the Mavs need a LOT more.

3. Trade Anthony Davis Before It's Too Late

Anthony Davis is a great player in the NBA. This was never going to work. This is a roster built to have a playmaker like Luka Doncic on the roster, and trading him out and putting AD in his place was a decision everyone knew was a mistake, except for Nico Harrison.

There is such a thing as bad vibes, and Davis trying to be the replacement for Doncic was never going to be it. When the game got down to four points with a little under six minutes remaining, Anthony Davis missed two straight free throws, then fumbled the ball out of bounds, killing any momentum that Cooper Flagg had just established.

Davis tried to make this work, which is commendable, and although he's only played 11 games in a Mavericks uniform, there's no other obvious way to make the changes needed on this roster. They could still likely get a great package for Davis, who can fit the Cooper Flagg timeline better. But they're failing Flagg with this setup of a roster.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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