The Mavericks opened the season with a 128-110 loss to Houston, undone by a lopsided second quarter. Coach Dusty May saw promising signs from Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving, but Dallas must solve how to counter defenses that pressure Irving and make better use of the resulting four-on-three opportunities.

By the Numbers
  • Houston outscored Dallas 38-12 in the second quarter.
  • Cooper Flagg scored 32 points, including 23 after halftime, and made 11 of 13 free throws.
  • Kyrie Irving scored 15 points, making 6 of 9 shots in his first regular-season game since an ACL injury.
Yes, But

The loss exposed Dallas’ vulnerability when opponents send two defenders at Irving. Still, May praised Irving’s decision-making and leadership, and Flagg’s ability to attack the basket gave the Mavericks a potential answer.

What's Next

Dallas has a short turnaround before visiting Indiana on Friday, followed by a back-to-back against the Spurs. May plans to focus film sessions on a few fixable issues rather than trying to address everything at once.

Bottom Line

The Mavericks have encouraging individual performances to build on, but they need to turn pressure on Irving into productive four-on-three offense—and limit the extra possessions that let opponents pull away.