‘A Recipe for Success’: Dallas Mavericks Fall To Atlanta Hawks 135-111 As Kyrie Irving, Cooper Flagg Make Home Debut Together
DALLAS — The Atlanta Hawks took the lead for good with 2:47 left in the first quarter Friday night and held it the rest of the way, beating the Dallas Mavericks 135-111 at American Airlines Center. The loss closed the Mavericks’ preseason at 1-3, five days before they open the regular season in Houston.
Atlanta pushed its lead to 22 points in the second quarter, took a 73-54 advantage into halftime, and led by as many as 29 in the fourth. The Hawks, now 4-1 in the preseason, outrebounded Dallas 55-42 and grabbed 17 offensive rebounds. They also scored 19 fast-break points to the Mavericks’ 6 and went 34-of-45 at the free-throw line in front of 19,178.
Dallas outscored Atlanta 50-38 in the paint and 26-18 in second-chance points, and the Mavericks finished with 30 assists on 40 made field goals. The Hawks made 21 of their 51 attempts from 3-point range. Dallas went 13-of-33.
Atlanta scored 1.107 points per possession across 122 plays, according to play-type tracking data, and Dallas scored 0.925 on 120. The Hawks ran 33 of those plays in transition and scored 1.000 points per possession on them. The Mavericks scored 0.579 on 19 transition plays.
Zaccharie Risacher, playing against the team that drafted him first overall in 2024, scored 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting. He scored 14 of them after halftime.
Mavericks coach Dusty May is in his first season as an NBA head coach after leaving Michigan. He still saw some small wins for Dallas to carry into the regular season, against a Hawks team he described as a playoff group.
“Give Atlanta credit. I thought their point of attack defense, their disruptions, they were tough tonight,” May said. “They played inspired. They look like a playoff team that’s capable of advancing and guys that have played together. We just weren’t quick enough to the ball and gave them too many opportunities, but there were some small wins for us, and looking forward to going into the regular season.”
The game was tied five times and changed leads four times, all in the opening 12 minutes. Dallas never led by more than 1 point, and its last lead came at 26-25 on a pair of Naji Marshall free throws with 3:32 left in the first quarter. Morez Johnson Jr. tied it 28-28 with a floater 36 seconds later, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker answered with a 3-pointer that put Atlanta ahead for good.
Atlanta outscored Dallas 34-20 in the second quarter. After a Kyrie Irving pull-up made it 49-40 with 9:46 left in the half, the Hawks went on a 14-1 run over the next 5:26, capped by a Jalen Johnson driving dunk that made it 63-41. The Mavericks shot 8-of-24 in the quarter, including 1-of-10 from beyond the arc.
Dallas scored the first 5 points of the third quarter and got within 81-67 on a Cooper Flagg 3-pointer with 7:42 left in the period. Alexander-Walker scored 11 points in the quarter, and Kingston Flemings hit a 3-pointer with 25.9 seconds left to send Atlanta into the fourth ahead 102-78. Flagg scored 5 points in the first 1:35 of the fourth quarter, and his transition layup with 10:25 left cut the margin to 107-87. The Hawks scored the next 8 points, and an Aaron Wiggins 3-pointer at the 8:04 mark made it 118-89.
Alexander-Walker led Atlanta with 25 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 6-of-10 from 3-point range, and added 5 assists. Jalen Johnson had 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 assists in 25:11, and he made 9 of his 11 free throws, all of them in the first half. Wiggins scored 19 points off the bench and finished plus-33. Jock Landale added 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists on 4-of-5 shooting, and Flemings, the eighth overall pick in June’s draft, had 10 points and 6 assists.
Zaccharie Risacher Finds Second-Half Rhythm Against Former Team
Risacher went 2-of-6 for 4 points in the first half, when Dallas was outscored by 23 points with him on the floor. After halftime, he made all 6 of his shots and was plus-10. He scored 12 of his points in the fourth quarter, going 5-of-5 from the field and 2-of-3 at the line, and finished with 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in 26:34.
Two of those fourth-quarter baskets were dunks. Risacher tipped in a P.J. Washington miss with 6:36 left and finished a cut off a Marshall pass at the 5:26 mark.
“Zach showed what we need him to be. I thought his energy, his effort. He made a couple of really nice cuts to the basket. I thought he was on the glass. He settled into the game,” May explained.
“And obviously, this one’s an emotional one for Zach. He played there,” May continued. “I think any time you have history with the team, it’s tough to go against your former teammates and things like that. But I thought he made some aggressive plays. He was much more explosive in the paint in the second half. And his aggression was rewarded. That was one of the bright spots, to see how well he played in the second half.”
Risacher’s minutes were third-most on the team, behind Flagg and Washington. Whether he starts Wednesday at Houston is a call May has not made yet.
“I don’t know. I mean, I think if you gauge it on today’s second half, he’s going to be a major rotation piece and play a lot,” May said. “I don’t know what the starting lineup is going to be quite yet. We’ll know as we get closer to game time.”
Risacher’s 18 points tied Irving for second on the team behind Flagg. His 4 assists were 1 off the team lead.
“I feel like I did what I do best, like playing hard, finding the rhythm on defense. And yeah, I feel like it was just, I was trying to be myself, trying to help the team the best way I can,” Risacher said. “And like when you’re playing with the flow, the right rhythm, play for the team, it always gets back to you. And I feel like that’s what I did, and it works out.”
Atlanta took Risacher first overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, and he spent two seasons with the Hawks. Dallas acquired him July 19 in a three-team trade with Atlanta and the Oklahoma City Thunder that sent Ryan Nembhard to the Hawks. Luguentz Dort went from Oklahoma City to Atlanta in the same deal and had 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals off the Hawks’ bench Friday.
Friday was the Mavericks’ final preseason game. It was also Risacher’s first game against Atlanta since the trade.
“I feel like it was exciting playing against my former teammates, my former team, but at the same time, I wasn’t trying to worry about anything else. That was the last game of the preseason, and that was important for us to put the work in,” Risacher explained. “… The game plan, what we’re trying to do, the chemistry that we’re building, all those kind of things. Playing well on the court, playing for each other. That’s the thing I was worrying about coming into this game. And it just, that’s it.”
In Macao, China, Risacher scored 7 of his 9 points in the third quarter of the Oct. 9 opener against the Houston Rockets, and 14 of his 16 points came after halftime in Dallas’ 132-115 win over Houston on Oct. 11, the Mavericks’ only victory of the preseason. Preseason is for finding rhythm and chemistry with new teammates, as Risacher sees it.
“I feel like it’s a part of the adjustment, just playing in a new environment. I feel like also I got to do a better job and show up early in the game, because you’re right, the first half usually during those preseason games wasn’t that good. And I felt like I could have done a better job,” Risacher said. “But like I said, still preseason, that’s what this is for, get adjusting, find the rhythm, find the chemistry with new teammates.”
“And I feel like the communication has been great with everybody,” Risacher continued. “I’m super excited about this new season. And I feel like everybody’s on the same page. And, yeah, I’m grateful to be able to compete with those guys. And I feel like that’s going to be an amazing season.”
All 6 of Risacher’s second-half field goals came from 10 feet or closer. Of those, 3 came at the rim on cuts or a putback. Dallas scored 1.333 points per possession on the 15 plays finished by a cutter.
“Just being able to be on the court and see what’s happening, how we’ve been playing, how we’re reacting to their defense, all those kind of stuff. And I feel like it goes with the games, and as the games go on, everything becomes a lot easier,” Risacher said. “And like I said, finding habits, finding chemistry, all those kind of things. Because I feel like when I play my best, it’s always because of the team, and I feel like when I’m playing for the team, that’s what I do best and that’s what I want to do.”
“Playing for each other, that’s going to be a big thing for us, and I think that’s why I’m so excited too,” Risacher continued. “Because I know I’m in a position where I get to be myself and be successful being myself.”
Cooper Flagg Posts 26 And 12 As Kyrie Irving Adds 18
Flagg finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists in 29:48. He shot 8-of-20 from the field, 2-of-6 from 3-point range, and 8-of-9 at the line, and he added 2 steals and a block. He scored 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting in the first half and 14 on 4-of-6 after halftime.
Dallas attempted 26 free throws, and Flagg took 9 of them. No other Maverick attempted more than 4.
“Definitely. I thought Coop played well. He got to the line 9 times, had 12 rebounds. Obviously, you want everyone to make more shots than they did. But I’m very happy with the way Coop played. I mean, he’s a competitor,” May said. “… I thought he’s getting us open looks. He’s attacking the pressure, and like I said, we’ve got to find ways to give him and Kai some pressure releases.”
Irving scored 18 points with 2 rebounds and 5 assists in 24:36, going 6-of-12 from the field and 5-of-7 from 3-point range. He had 12 points at halftime and did not play in the fourth quarter. Irving made his return Oct. 11 in Macao, scoring 17 points against Houston in his first game since tearing the ACL in his left knee on March 3, 2025.
Dallas ran 45 plays through a pick-and-roll ball handler, counting his passes, to Atlanta’s 20. The Mavericks scored 1.545 points per possession on the 11 that drew a single defender and 0.824 on the 34 where the Hawks committed to the ball handler. Dallas had 14 possessions reach the final 4 seconds of the shot clock and scored 0.643 points per possession on them.
That Oct. 11 game was also the first Irving and Flagg played together. Irving, Flagg, Risacher, Washington, and Daniel Gafford started Friday, and the same five opened each of the first three quarters.
“I thought overall they played well, and we haven’t had our lineups. We don’t even really know what our lineups are going to be, but we haven’t had them together, so it’s difficult to find the way you function within each group,” May said. “But I thought just to see Kyrie back competing like he was, I thought he made a lot of really good passes. I thought he trusted his teammates. Over time, that’s a recipe for success. So overall, pleased with that group.”
Morez Johnson Jr. Grabs 7 Rebounds In 14 Minutes
Morez Johnson Jr., the ninth overall pick in June, played 14:03 and finished with 4 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists. He made both of his shots in the first quarter. Johnson was limited by injury during training camp, and Friday was his first game back.
“A little bit better with a win, but it was good. Knocked some rust off. Glad to be out there,” Johnson said.
Johnson’s 7 rebounds were second on the team to Flagg’s 12, in less than half of Flagg’s minutes. All of them came before the fourth quarter.
“Says a lot. You just got to keep playing. Just play hard. And that’s how I got them. Boxing out, hitting bodies, locating the ball in the air,” Johnson explained.
Johnson played for May at Michigan, where the Wolverines won the 2025-26 national championship. He averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds for that team.
“He looked a little bit rusty, didn’t have great rhythm and flow, but he made positive contributions. Not worried about him. He’s going to play well,” May said. “It was good to see him out there. He got 14 minutes, and these minutes will prove invaluable as we get into the regular season. But I thought he did some good things.”
Johnson had 5 defensive rebounds, tying Washington for second on the team behind Flagg’s 9. The other 2 came on the offensive glass.
“Just his physicality. He was a step slow tonight. The conditioning’s obviously a factor, but I thought he did a nice job. He was blocking out. He was around the ball. I guess he got 7 rebounds in limited minutes, which is pretty good,” May said. “That shows the level of expectations that we have for him. It didn’t seem like he was dominating glass, and he had 7 in 14 minutes. So he’s capable of getting double-digit rebounds with minutes consistently, and it was just good to see him out there playing.”
Both of Johnson’s assists set up 3-pointers, one by Irving in the first quarter and one by Flagg in the third. His first basket was a reverse layup off a Flagg feed. Dallas scored 0.600 points per possession on the 10 plays finished by its roll men.
“Screening the best I can to get those guys open, making sure I’m playing in the pocket, sprinting to the back of the rim, giving them an outlet pass if they don’t got enough to come out the pick-and-roll,” Johnson said.
“When I was playing the five out there, it was mostly in switching one through five,” Johnson said. “So I think it’s kind of very similar to playing a four because I’m switching one through five still. It’s making sure I’m finding bodies on the glass. Just being a connector out there like I was doing last year, it’s the same thing for me, because especially with me switching one through five.”
Johnson is listed at 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds. Gafford, at 265, is the only heavier player on the Dallas roster.
“I think that’s a part of me. I just got to continue to be me every time I step on the floor, no matter who I’m playing against or where I’m at playing,” Johnson said.
“I think I’m adjusting just fine,” Johnson said. “Like I said, I don’t think I have any rhythm out there yet just from coming back. But I think I’ll get there. But I’ll say the game, I don’t think it’s that much faster.”
Irving is in his 16th NBA season. Johnson, who turns 21 in January, has watched him every day since camp opened in late September.
“He’s insane, man. The stuff he just do every day, it’s just crazy to watch. I’m grateful to have a vet like that in the locker room with me,” Johnson said.
Dusty May Targets Rebounding And Turnovers Before Opener At Houston
Atlanta grabbed 11 offensive rebounds in the second half alone. With five days until the opener, May has three areas he wants the Mavericks to clean up.
“The fundamentals of the game, the rebounding. We’re not, like I said, we’re just not quick enough to the ball quite yet. We’re not getting to the ball quickly enough. That’s one area, the turnover concern, and then figuring out a way to relieve some pressure offensively,” May said.
“Coop and Kyrie are having to fight so hard for every catch that we’ve got to be able to alleviate some pressure with some of the other guys,” May continued. “So we’ll have to figure that one out.”
Risacher grabbed 2 of Dallas’ 12 offensive rebounds. Only Flagg, with 3, had more.
“Getting those 50-50 balls, I feel like that’s one of the things we need to improve. Crashing, getting those balls. Didn’t watch the game, but during the game, I feel like they really had us on that glass. And I feel like also being a little bit more connected on defense so we can make stops,” Risacher said.
“Because we have a lot of athletes and a lot of players that can bring the ball up and run the floor. But in order to do that, we got to make stops first,” Risacher continued. “And I feel like that’s one of the things we need to focus on. But I’m not worried about it because I know we’ve been doing this for almost two months now, and like I said, pretty excited about the new season.”
Washington finished with 8 points and 6 rebounds on 3-of-13 shooting, including 2-of-8 from 3-point range. Dallas scored 0.882 points per possession on 17 unguarded catch-and-shoot jumpers, and Atlanta scored 1.320 on 25. A reluctant open shooter hurts an offense’s flow, in May’s view.
“Just like the Hawks did when we packed off certain guys, you take the shot. I mean, I think P.J.’s a good shooter. I mean, I think he’s going to make shots. The reluctant open shooter, analytically and statistically, is really bad for your offensive flow, and you can’t anticipate the shots going up. I think he’s going to make those,” May said. “I thought he took good looks. Obviously, not one of his better games. But, yeah, we believe in P.J.”
“Those were driving kick shots. I thought his teammates did a nice job early, especially cutting,” May continued. “I think a lot of those were off of Kyrie and Cooper, like, making the right plays, seeing multiple bodies and kicking to open teammates. And like I said, we’re still getting used to each other, though.”
Sergio de Larrea had 8 points, 4 assists, and 2 blocks in 25:18 off the bench. Marshall had 6 points and 5 assists, and Gafford scored 6 on 2-of-3 shooting. Atlanta finished with 36 assists on its 40 made field goals. Landale and Flemings combined for 11 of them.
“For the most part, we’re sharing it well. We have an unselfish group. But overall, yes, I think we’re playing for each other. I think we’re making the right plays. We just have to clean up a few things fundamentally,” May said.
Atlanta shot 51.3% in the first half and attempted 30 free throws before the break. The Hawks also scored 1.462 points per possession on 13 isolation plays. May saw better rotations and hand activity from Dallas after halftime.
“Overall, we didn’t guard the ball nearly as well as we’re capable of tonight, just guarding your yard, not giving up straight-line drives. I do think in the second half our rotations were a little bit better, our hand activity was better,” May said.
“It seemed like in the first half they were able to pinpoint direct passes, and they had us on their heels when they made their run,” May continued. “I thought the biggest difference was just their ability to get the offensive rebounds, fan it out, and make us pay. So even when we were on the verge of making runs, it seemed like it was hustle plays that allowed them to just kind of hold us off.”
Atlanta reset its offense after 12 of its 17 offensive rebounds, 7 of them in the third quarter. The Hawks went straight back up on the other 5.
Dallas committed 4 turnovers in the first half and 11 after halftime, including 7 in the fourth quarter, finishing with 15 that led to 16 Atlanta points. The Hawks committed 13.
“First half was excellent. The second half was what it’s been, so for a half, yes,” May said.
The Mavericks played without Santi Aldama (right knee surgery), Tarik Biberovic (right heel bursitis), Max Christie (rest), Jett Howard (illness), and Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery). Atlanta was without Mouhamed Gueye (left foot fracture) and Henri Veesaar (torn right ACL).
Dallas opens the regular season against the Rockets on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at Toyota Center in Houston. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. CT.
