3 overreactions as Mavericks win the game, lose the tank battle to Brooklyn Nets

The Dallas Mavericks hosted the Brooklyn Nets for the second time this season in a battle for the tank brigade on Monday night. It's the first of four straight home games for the Mavs, and with Anthony Davis and 6 other players out, they had a chance to catch up in the lottery odds.

But the Mavericks looked like they were going to control this one pretty easily throughout. Jaden Hardy got the party started with 11 points in the first five minutes, as he got the starting nod with Brandon Williams being out, and he made the most of his opportunity in this game. Klay Thompson hit two three-pointers near the end of the first, and that helped the Mavs take a 10-point advantage into the next quarter.

The second quarter was mostly Cooper Flagg, as he scored 12 points and had an assist that led to a three, making him responsible for 15 of the 24 points they scored. Although they weren't scoring well, Brooklyn wasn't either, so the Mavericks still went into the locker room up by 11.

The start of halftime wasn't great for the Mavericks, depending on what you were rooting for in this game. A 9-0 run by the Nets got them back within 5 after a three from Jaden Hardy pushed the lead to 14. But a tough bucket from Cooper Flagg and a three in transition from Max Christie pushed the lead right back to double digits. Flagg briefly left during the third quarter with an apparent ankle injury, which allowed the Nets to cut the lead to three, but Flagg would return and help build the lead right back to 9 before the end of the quarter.

The fourth quarter featured some more impressive shots from Klay Thompson, but the Nets wouldn't go away, as the lead mostly bounced between 3 and 7 points. With the lead at 5 and about 2:30 remaining, Naji Marshall finished with a reverse layup, and Cooper Flagg got in the passing lane to get a steal, ran out in transition, and dunked it home to push the lead to 9. After Drake Powell hit a layup, Flagg hit a pull-up three in Michael Porter Jr.'s face to push the lead back to 10, and the Mavs would go on to win 113-105 from there.

Here are three overreactions from this win.

1. Can the Mavericks Give Jaden Hardy Some Trade Value?

Jan 12, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (1) reacts to being knocked to the floor during the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Jaden Hardy has been seen as a negative contract since Nico Harrison signed him to a three-year, $18 million deal. Jason Kidd hasn't liked playing him much, but he gave Hardy a starting opportunity in this game. And Hardy had a solid game, putting up 14 points while knocking down four threes. The Mavs would probably love to get that future salary off the books in any way possible, so could a team come knocking for Hardy, or could he be put in as a salary filler? It's possible.

2. Jason Kidd Must HATE D'Angelo Russell

Dec 29, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard D'Angelo Russell (5) warms up before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks had 7 players miss this game with injury or illness. That left them with 11 active players, and three of those were two-way players. Want to guess the only player that was a DNP-Coach's Decision? If you guessed D'Angelo Russell, you would be correct. He has not played in 10 of the last 15 games now, and he is fully out of a point guard rotation that only featured Jaden Hardy and Ryan Nembhard.

3. Big Bounce Back for Cooper Flagg

Jan 12, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) looks to move the ball against the Brooklyn Nets during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Cooper Flagg has mostly struggled in the last few weeks, scoring between 10 and 15 points in four of the last six games entering Monday. He responded in a big way, putting up 27 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals on 10/17 shooting in this matchup, including 2/3 from three. It may just be against the Brooklyn Nets, but it can still help re-establish some confidence.

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