The Dallas Mavericks faced off against the Miami Heat on Monday, entering the game with the lowest number of road games played in the league, a mere four out of their first 18 contests. The Heat, boasting one of the best home records in the NBA, presented a significant challenge for the shorthanded Mavericks, who were struggling to find their footing this season.
Ultimately, Dallas succumbed to a 106-102 defeat in the first of a grueling four-game road trip. Despite the loss, the game was yet another closely contested encounter for the Mavericks, marking their 15th clutch game of the season—the highest in the league. After falling behind by as many as 13 points, Dallas showed resilience in the fourth quarter and managed to tie the game at 102, thanks to a pair of key free throws by rookie Cooper Flagg.
With just under 50 seconds remaining, the Mavericks had an opportunity to take the lead after a timeout by head coach Jason Kidd. Unfortunately, a costly turnover by PJ Washington derailed their chances. Washington attempted to make an inbound pass to Ryan Nembhard, but Heat forward Bam Adebayo intercepted it. Tyler Herro capitalized on the error, hitting a floater to put Miami ahead 104-102 with 42 seconds on the clock. Reflecting on his mistake, Washington explained, “I didn’t want to burn a timeout, so I thought I could get it to him in the corner. Obviously, it was a turnover.”
Despite having multiple opportunities to atone for his misstep, Washington missed two critical three-point attempts in the closing moments. Nonetheless, he was a key player in the Mavericks’ comeback effort, finishing with 27 points and eight rebounds. He remarked, “The 3s, they felt good. I thought both of them were going in. Obviously, they didn’t. Just keep going. On to the next.”
The Mavericks now sit at 5-14, while the Heat celebrated their fifth consecutive victory, improving to 12-6 with an impressive 8-1 home record. Herro, in his season debut after recovering from ankle surgery, was instrumental for Miami, contributing 24 points and seven rebounds. Kel’el Ware also shone brightly, scoring 20 points and pulling down 18 rebounds, while Bam Adebayo added 17 points and six rebounds to the effort.
Despite the defeat, there are hopeful signs for the Mavericks as they navigate through this tough period. Coach Kidd emphasized the importance of these close encounters for the team’s growth and particularly for young players like Flagg. With three days to regroup before heading to Los Angeles for back-to-back games against the Lakers and Clippers, there is a sense that the Mavericks can find ways to turn their season around.