A Night of Pure Chaos at the AAC: What Just Happened?
Walking into American Airlines Center felt like stepping into a pressure cooker—fans still buzzing from that weird midweek rest, the air thick with that familiar mix of popcorn and desperation Flagg scores 29 points . The Mavericks, scraping by at 5-12, needed this one bad. And somehow, in a game that swung like a pendulum on steroids, they pulled it off against a Pelicans squad that’s hit rock bottom. No sugarcoating: this wasn’t poetry; it was a street fight with jump shots.
Flagg’s Star Turn: From Rookie to Relentless
If there’s one thing that stuck with me, it’s how Cooper Flagg—no kidding, the top pick from last summer—looked like he’d been hooping in this league for a decade. After that one-game Flagg scores 29 point benching Wednesday (coach’s call, apparently), he came out firing: 12-for-19 from the floor, seven boards, five dimes. It’s like the kid absorbed every ounce of Luka’s old magic before he dipped. Dallas leaned on him hard, and he delivered without a flinch. For more on Flagg’s rapid rise, check out this deep dive on his draft night promise.
But let’s not bury the lede on the vets. P.J. Washington Jr. was on fire—24 points, including five threes that had the upper deck losing their minds. Ties his season high, and honestly, it’s about time he strings a few together. Max Christie? Dude matched a career-best 23 with five bombs from deep. Their synergy felt like the glue holding this Mavs puzzle from falling apart. (Internal link: See how Washington’s shooting evolved in our Mavs mid-season hot takes.)
Marshall’s Revenge Arc: That Three Was Personal
Naji Marshall? Oh man, talk about poetic justice. Four years in New Orleans, then bolts to Dallas this summer, and drops the dagger—a go-ahead three with 30.7 ticks left against his old crew. Swish. 116-115. The Pelicans clanged three prayers in response, including a heartbreaker from rookie Derik Queen with four seconds on the clock. Max Christie ices it with freebies at 10.9, Washington hauls in the board, and boom—buzzer-beater bedlam turns into a full-on scrum. Loved the fire; hated the headlines it’ll spawn. (Outbound link: Relive Marshall’s Pelicans tenure via this ESPN timeline.)
Brandon Williams chipped in Flagg scores 29 points 12 assists, matching his best—quietly the engine keeping the offense humming when it mattered. The Mavs are now 1-2 in NBA Cup play, salvaging something from this weird tourney format. Two wins in their last three at home? After that brutal 2-7 start? I’ll take it, even if it feels fragile. (Internal link: Compare to their early slump in our AAC home game autopsy.)
Pelicans’ Pain: Eight Losses and Counting
Over in purple and gold? Rough night doesn’t cover it. Trey Murphy III led with 25, but the shots wouldn’t drop when they needed ’em most. Zion Williamson, fresh off that hamstring scare (eight games down), gutted out 22 points in his return—props for the grit, but you could see the rust. Jeremiah Fears had 21, Queen stuffed the stat sheet with 20-7-11 (career-high assists? Wild for a big). Yet under interim skipper James Borrego, they’re 0-4 and 2-14 overall. Eight straight Ls? That’s a spiral begging for a reset. (Outbound link: Dive into Zion’s injury saga at The Athletic’s recovery tracker.)
Wrapping the Whirlwind: What’s Next?
This win? It’s a spark, not a fire. Dallas hosts Memphis tomorrow—Grizzlies on a roll, so no coasting. Pelicans? Atlanta invades Saturday; Hawks could exploit that defense. NBA Cup or not, these games feel like lifelines. Watched it live, and yeah, my voice is shot from screaming. If you’re a Mavs diehard, hit reply—what’s your take on Flagg’s leap Flagg scores 29 points? (Internal link: Preview the Memphis clash in our upcoming Mavs schedule breakdown.)
For the full wire report, head to the AP NBA hub. And hey, if you’re chasing stats, Basketball-Reference has the box score locked. Let’s ride this momentum—cautiously.
