3 overreactions as Mavericks pick up first win of season against Raptors, 139-129

The Dallas Mavericks entered Sunday still seeking their first win of the season after losses to the San Antonio Spurs and the lowly Washington Wizards. If they couldn't beat the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night, they'd be staring down the barrel of a 0-4 start, as they play the OKC Thunder on Monday.

So, despite it being this early in the season, you could argue Sunday was a must-win for Dallas. And they treated it with such urgency, but neither team really took off in this game. For the first time this season, the Mavericks' offense showed some life, as D'Angelo Russell got some real playing time. Having a real point guard on the floor helped everyone, even if Russell still struggled to score.

But this was a very back-and-forth game. Neither team took a larger advantage than a 7-point lead until a 13-0 run gave the Mavericks a 10-point lead late in the third quarter, which was closed off by a monster Cooper Flagg poster over Sandro Mamukelashvili. They'd eventually open that up to a 12-point advantage at the end of the frame.

From there, they were able to keep the Raptors at arm's length. Dallas built the lead up to 16 a few times, and Toronto could never get it below 8 again until the final minute. The Mavericks coasted to the finish and finally picked up the first win of the season, 139-129.

Here are three overreactions from Sunday's game.

1. This is Cooper Flagg's Team. The Sooner Dallas Realizes It, the Better

Oct 26, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) motions to his teammates during the second quarter against the Toronto Raptors at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Anthony Davis was productive, once again, but it's hard to describe his impact as meaningful. A lot of his baskets came by camping under the basket and getting easy feeds. And Dallas' biggest run came while he was on the bench, fueled by plays from Cooper Flagg.

This is NOT Cooper Flagg point guard propaganda, but he did finish with 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. That 13-0 run came with a lineup of D'Angelo Russell, Max Christie, Cooper Flagg, Naji Marshall, and Dereck Lively II on the floor. A lineup that features a lot of playmaking and defensive versatility. There needs to be more of that, with Flagg operating as a secondary initiator.

Flagg is also growing as a shooter quickly. The funky hitch at the top of his shot is starting to go away, and he's trusting himself to shoot more often. That was one of his bigger weaknesses entering the NBA, and he's worked hard to make it a strength.

2. Max Christie May Need to Start Over Klay Thompson

Oct 13, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie (00) takes a three-point shot during the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter Creveling-Imagn Images | Peter Creveling-Imagn Images

Max Christie has had such a strong start from three this season, hitting 6 of his first 10 threes. He carried that over into this game, where he went 3/5 from behind the arc.

Klay Thompson is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, but Christie offers more ball-handling, passing, and athleticism than Thompson, and if Christie is going to be hitting threes at this level, there's no reason not to play him more.

3. It's Amazing What An Actual Point Guard in the Rotation Does

Oct 22, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard D'Angelo Russell (5) reacts during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

This team was so starved for point guard play that D'Angelo Russell playing 30 minutes was a godsend to the team. And he turned in a good performance after a shaky start, putting up 24 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals.

I understand Jason Kidd wanting to put the five best players on the floor to start the game. But there has to be someone who can get people organized. Russell helped with that, but he also found backdoor cutters, made good passes, and got to the free-throw line. It's amazing what having a point guard does.

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