We Know EXACTLY What this Dallas Mavericks Team is Led by Cooper Flagg & Naji Marshall
The Dallas Mavericks suffered another tough NBA loss, showcasing their persistent identity struggles, Naji Marshall’s game, and need for roster changes. Mavs fans got to see Cooper Flagg continue his standout rookie campaign alongside Kyrie Irving and the team’s core, but the offense and closing issues remain a major theme this season.
Nick Angstadt and Slightly Biased break down the Dallas Mavericks’ game against the Phoenix Suns, analyzing Jason Kidd’s experimental lineup decisions and how players like Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, Naji Marshall, and Dereck Lively II factored into their future. The hosts discuss the Mavs’ inability to convert three-pointers, what Cooper Flagg’s free throw rate means for his development, and the impact of Naji Marshall’s performance. Listeners will also hear reactions to the Suns’ depth, thoughts on roster construction, and the future of key figures like Mark Cuban and the team’s ownership moves involving Patrick Dumont. Tune in for in-depth discussion about everything Mavs, NBA action, and what’s next for Dallas.
0:00 Mavs’ Identity Issues
14:01 Jason Kidd’s Lineup Experiments
21:01 Future Roster Building Debate
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39 Comments
How would you describe the Mavericks' identity this season?
Once coop bullied Brooks on that dunk, he got embarrassed and started to get more physical with Coop. Getting more of that attention from opponents is part of his development if he is going to be “the guy”
Always listening
Elephant in the room.. they don't want to win… San Antonio has done this multiple times, with success. It isn't pretty but it's necessary to get where they want to be..
I don’t mind the loses. We need the top 10 pick this summer.
I blame Brittany Renner for PJ's struggles 😂😂
The Mavs know even if the fans don’t, they will not win in clutch time without a quality point guard that can close out a game
Can we stop with the short PGs please. They can't guard anyone
I think that the Mavs have an issue withdrawing the right double teams teams are learning to just play single coverage against the Mavs and unless Cooper Flagg puts the ball down on the floor and starts to get within you know 1617 feet of the hoop and turns his back once he turns us back a double team starts to occur, but besides that maybe you can argue Najee Marshall once he gets to the paint he sees a double team we don’t really draw much attention from other defenders and we’re not getting open. Looks when we are getting open looks we are not capitalizing on those open looks our shooters are just not making shots. Max Christy has really cooling off and I think a problem with Max Christie is that he has a very slow wind up to his jumpshot, he catches the ball sets. His feet gets the ball under him the right way then it has a very high release point over his head. All of that takes a considerable amount of time when you have a little bit of space from your defender and the defenders closing out on you. I’ve noticed it ever since teams have made adjustments teams are really closing out all Max Christie. They are not giving this guy space people. I’ve read the scouting report. The Mavs are a way better team when Max Christie‘s knocking down corner threes and when he’s just not making anything, this team is not a better team because we have a limited shooting ability, Max Chris not making shots. Klay Thompson was out yesterday. We really struggled from the perimeter and you know our best shooter was Najee Martian. Our best finisher is Najee Marshall when it comes to you know shot making at the room so it’s like it’s crazy to have him be the best three-point shooter and shot making at the rim like it’s insane obviously Cooper’s doing what he’s doing. He had a little bit of a rough game start but picked it up in the second half but you know this is gonna be this is gonna be the tail of the second half of the season. It’s gonna be the Cooper Flagg Najee Marshall show up until Kyrie Irving comes back which you know I’m watching them on March 1 I’ve got a game against Oklahoma then I’m gonna be attending and I’m really hoping Kyrie‘s gonna be back but it’s just there’s just nothing coming out about Kyrie Irving and it really sucks. He really really sucks cause I know he wants to play and the team is kind of torn on wanting to play him obviously for injury concerns next season it better be well worth it. We better have you know sign somebody not worthy and build a team around Kyrie and Cooper no worthy that we make an impact and make the playoffs at least make the playoffs if we don’t do that trading A.D. was probably a bigger mistake after we made a huge mistake trading Luca so I just don’t I don’t understand
I don’t think the Mavs are taking to get a high lottery pick. I think we are trying to play every single game to win. I think we’re playing the best that we can with what we have on the court and Jason kid is trying to pull strings and manipulate the roster to be the most effective. You know if you really wanted to lose games if the organization wanted to lose games we just wouldn’t be playing you know some of the guys that we know we can win with we would be playing some of our guys that we know we’re gonna lose with no some of our end of the bench guys, but Jason kids already playing pretty much 95% of that roster. Besides, you know a player too at the end of the bench but regardless, he’d be playing the more minutes our third string guys and he’s not he’s trying to experiment trying to see what can work. We definitely need shooting obviously ties Jones really really looked rough yesterday. I think Marvin Bagley looked OK in spots. His defense was a lot to be. You know a lot left to be desired Daniel Gafford really stepped up and played some really good defense in that second half sparking a run PJ Washington really ever since his injuries has not come back the same player. He was our most consistent player for you know the first 2030 games and I was loving what I was seeing at the PJ he really put in a lot of work and a lot of growth but the injuries really really really have set him back. I think the mass fans need to give time with PJ and Gafford. you know we need guys that know how to get those guys in the right spots and we don’t have that Cooper Flagg is initiating the Office Najee Marshall’s initiating offense guys like Cooper and Najee. They’re going to try to get a bucket everybody else’s spacing out for them very very rarely. Are they passing out once I get 2 feet in the paint very rarely so it’s that part of the scouting report that everybody knows close the paint because these two guys are just gonna attack her endlessly, give them open threes especially when they don’t have three point shooters like Clay and Max playing or playing well so we just gotta be patient or we’re gonna get our weapons back like Kyrie and lively PJ and Gaff getting healthy. We’re gonna get our tools back. We definitely need to retool we definitely need to pick up some more shooting ability. It’s the weakest point that it’s ever been even even prior to our like final season where we just were not a shooting team. This is even worse so we definitely will be targeting shooting in the postseason.
I love watching Kidd in the lab. This is great season for development. To enjoy the victories, we have trudge through the chemistry building days . . Im super excited for our future . Just watch
I just need your voices saying something vaguely Mavs related. Oh and the intro music.
Slightly never breathes through his nose
He’s only slightly locked on the Mavs 😂
If kyrie was playing all year our record is completely different
Coop needs to add more short pull up shots instead of constantly driving all the way to the basket when there are multiple players defending the rim at the end of games. Still can’t believe he recently turned 19.
Imagine knowing 2+2=4, and somebody else saying yeah it equals 4 but it also equals 5. That’s what Nick is doing. Yeah they can’t close because they don’t have any closers.
One of the biggest closer in NBA history, Kyrie Irving, is injured!! Those 23ppg he scores, his maturity, the double teaming he requires which frees up others is missing.
Add Kyrie and I’m sure we would be well above 500. So of course they’re struggling without Kyrie
I dont think mid tier AD fit
this team mentality.
Dallas -19 In the 12 min Flagg was off the court.
-14 in the 12 min Naji was off.
-16 in the 24 min Bags was off.
We clearly miss Kyrie but also Lively.
We’ve completely lost our identity.
Time to create a new one.
This identity feels way better with no AD on the team. It was unacceptable with him.
I want Nemby back
Coop gets easier buckets when Nemby is on the floor with him! Idc how small he is either. Also need Cisse to develop more as well, I love his hustle.
The Game was great if you just start watching it at the 7 min mark of the 2nd quarter (53-23) and pretend it’s 0-0.
Hard to only score 23 points in 17 min in an nba basketball game.
Mavs totally dominated if you look at the game thru that prism lol.
Keep on losing all the way to the draft !
Whenever Kyrie comes back next season the Mavs will have an identity. He has been asked to do too much on offense and it's taken away his effort on defense. With Kyrie running the point, Flagg will be put back in his proper position and his defense will come back to an elite level. As for Naji, he has proven to be our 6th man.
when's the draft lottery?
Flagg will be a good 3 point shooter I just don’t think he’s a 7-10 3pa guy really ever. Probably 4-6 will be his season avg throughout his career similar to shai automatic below the arc and a solid 3pt shooter just not a prolific one.
I feel like Gafford's time is up. They need to trade him this offseason and they need to not be stingy with the price. PJ needs to go too
29:45 one hundred percent agreed Slightly. I'll go a step further… if they land at number 4, don't mess around with guard… Caleb Wilson is a freak defensively and would be an awesome piece next to Flagg
Only players that should be on this team next year are Flagg, Kyrie, Max, Naji, Lively and Bwill. I'm skeptical about Lively because of his health and if we can top pick like Caleb Wilson in the draft then I trade Gaffford and Lively. Everyone else can go!
It’s clearly a tanking season to get a high pick this upcoming draft. Don’t yall worry we will be fine
1:30 I feel seen.
i will listen to anything slightly biased has to say. just not isaac 😂
Pj is really starting to concern me.
the team is full of below average perimeter shooters.. Naji, PJ, Brandon Williams… even Max has kindve been in a big slump during this losing streak… also max chritie should not lead the team in assists..
just lean into the youth movement rest of the season.. let’s see what Miles Kelly and AJ Johnson can do and MOUSSA
Omg, Slightly is amazing!
Keep in mind that this might be the worst version of the Cooper Flagg Mavs we see for years – barring injury 🤞
CMB mentioned – Slightly
building out the team around Cooper will take a few seasons.
Go pelicans and Jazz 🙏🙏