‘A Really Big Step’: Cooper Flagg Praises Walter Clayton Jr.’s Stay-Ready ‘Doubleheader’ In Dallas Mavericks’ Win Over Miami Heat
MIAMI — Walter Clayton Jr. played in the Dallas Mavericks’ stay-ready game after shootaround Monday morning, then scored 15 points off the bench that night in a 113-109 win over the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center.
Clayton made 6 of his 7 shots, including both of his 3-point attempts, and went 1-of-1 at the free-throw line. He added 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and a block in 17 minutes, 10 seconds, and Dallas outscored Miami by 22 points with him on the floor.
Dallas lost a guard from its rotation early in the second quarter when rookie Sergio De Larrea went down with a right knee injury and did not return. Naji Marshall was already out with an illness.
Clayton, who did not play in the first quarter, checked in with 5:58 left in the first half. Marcus Sasser, the other reserve guard who played before halftime, did not appear after the break, while Clayton played 11 minutes, 15 seconds in the second half.
Seven of his points came in the fourth quarter. Consecutive drives at 8:27 and 8:13, the second a three-point play, turned a 93-90 deficit into a 95-93 lead, and his floater off a Cooper Flagg pass with 5:36 left made it 101-97.
Flagg said Clayton was in the stay-ready game with the reserves after shootaround. It was Clayton’s first double-figure scoring game with Dallas.
“It was great, Walt was great,” Flagg said. “Obviously he hasn’t been with us for very long, but for him to just step up tonight, 6-of-7 from the field, but I thought just his intensity and the way, I mean, plus-22, like for him to go out there and just play really, really hard and unselfish basketball and just really give to the team in every single way. I thought it was a really big step for our team.”
“So obviously huge shoutout to Walt for just staying ready. I think honestly, after shootaround today, he was playing. He was in there playing with the guys in the stay-ready game,” Flagg continued. “So a little doubleheader for him to be able to stay ready and come out tonight and just play and contribute like he did. It was really good to see.”
Walter Clayton Jr. Plays A ‘Doubleheader’
Dallas signed Clayton to a two-way contract Oct. 21, two days after the Memphis Grizzlies waived him at the roster cutdown deadline. Under NBA two-way rules, he can appear in up to 50 regular-season games for the Mavericks. He had scored 3 points in two games with Dallas before Monday.
Clayton was the 18th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after leading Florida to the national championship and winning Final Four Most Outstanding Player. The Washington Wizards drafted him and traded him to the Utah Jazz, and Memphis acquired him from Utah on Feb. 3. He averaged 7.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 69 games as a rookie and twice scored a career-high 20 points.
Clayton has been with the Mavericks for about a week. He said Kyrie Irving’s preparation has pushed everyone on the roster to prepare the same way.
“As simple as that, stay ready. Just trying to stay engaged during the timeouts, know the game plan as before,” Clayton said. “And then just a big factor, just the guys trusting me to go out there and shoot the ball and play my game, so definitely.”
Irving had 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists in his third game back from a torn ACL. Clayton said Dallas has a good system in place and he is trying to blend into it.
“Just being here for about a week now, man, Kai, the way he prepares, man, it kind of forces everybody to just be on their P’s and their Q’s and just prepare the same way,” Clayton explained. “So just being locked in. Just watching them and these guys got a good system going on here. So I feel like I’m just kind of blending that seamlessly.”
Clayton also blocked a Bobby Portis Jr. layup with 7:55 left. Mavericks coach Dusty May said Miami tried to attack Clayton on defense and that Clayton held his own.
“Walt played in the stay-ready game … earlier today. So he basically did a doubleheader. Obviously it was an abbreviated one this morning, but that’s Walt,” May said. “I mean, he’s a gamer. If anyone, obviously in this state, they’ve seen him a lot. He’s got ice water in his veins. He’s unfazed. Even when he doesn’t play up to his best, he’s the same way.”
“I thought he dug deep trying to defend. They were trying to go at him. I thought he held his own on the defensive end. And offensively, he just gives us so much because he can get wherever he needs to with the ball,” May continued. “He can create advantages, he can finish in the paint. I thought his shot fake, obviously being such a great three-point shooter, I thought he used his shot fake well and just played really, really good ball.”
Clayton On Spacing, Giannis Antetokounmpo, And Dusty May
Clayton’s first 3-pointer came with 3:42 left in the second quarter, and his second came with 4:51 left in the third. The first came off a Daniel Gafford pass and the second off a Flagg feed in transition.
“They were definitely probably a little quicker to get out on the closeouts. But that’s a great team. I don’t think it was changing too much for me,” Clayton said. “It was probably more so for Coop and Kai.”
Dallas scored 44 points in the paint. Clayton said Miami was a team that collapses a lot.
“Just space. I feel like we got a good amount of paint touches tonight. We was relocating off the ball well,” Clayton said. “We felt like they were a team that collapses a lot. So just finding that space to get those shots off.”
Dallas outscored Miami 30-25 in the fourth quarter. Clayton said the group kept talking to each other during timeouts.
“Man, I just feel like we just locked in during the timeouts talking to each other. I feel like we rebounded the ball great,” Clayton said. “And we were just physical. I think we came out and played our brand of basketball. It worked for us.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 4 points on 2-of-6 shooting in the fourth quarter. He finished with 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists.
“Man, just try to meet him early, force some tough ones [at the rim]. Giannis is Giannis, he[’ll] get there, but we just try to make it as tough as possible,” Clayton said. “I think we did a pretty good job tonight.”
Dallas is Clayton’s third NBA team in his second season, after Utah and Memphis. He averaged 18.3 points and 4.2 assists as a senior at Florida.
“I mean, definitely. Obviously, my last year in college, I was a big fish in a little pond, and then you come to a new level. I’m a little fish in a big pond, so I just got to work my way back up,” Clayton said. “I feel like this is going to be a great spot to be able to do that.”
May coached Florida Atlantic for six seasons and Michigan for two before Dallas hired him in June. Clayton said May is willing to take into account what players see on the court.
“Dusty is great. Obviously he’s won everywhere he’s been. I think he’s planning on doing the same here,” Clayton said. “Just as a tactician, he sees the game well and he’s willing to listen to our point of view as players on the court. So if I see something, he’s just willing to take it into account. So that’s been great. I think he’s gonna be a great coach at this level.”
Dallas (2-2) hosts the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday at American Airlines Center, with tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. CT.
