Mavericks finish road trip against Denver Nuggets, MVP favorite Nikola Jokic

The Dallas Mavericks are coming off a win over the LA Clippers on Saturday night, where Cooper Flagg had the best game of his young career, scoring 35 points, the most any rookie has scored yet this season. They have one last game on this road trip, the longest road trip of the season thus far, and it's against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

Jokic, as you would expect, is playing at an MVP level this season, averaging 28.9 PPG, 12.4 RPG, and 10.9 APG. For the first time since they won the championship, though, they have some real depth around Jokic.

Denver traded Michael Porter Jr. away this offseason for Cam Johnson, which opened up enough space to sign Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown, and trade for Jonas Valanciunas. So, even though players like Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon are dealing with long-term injuries, they're still able to be one of the best teams in the NBA.

Nov 29, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) against the Phoenix Suns at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It also helps that Jamal Murray might finally make his first All-Star Game this year. He's averaging 24 PPG and has played in 18 of the 19 games they've played this season. That's a big reason why they have the best offense in the NBA. The Mavericks' defense will have a tall task, especially because Dereck Lively II remains out and Daniel Gafford is unlikely to play in this game. Anthony Davis should be back, but he'll likely be on a minutes restriction again.

It may have only been a win against the Clippers, but it was extremely impressive watching Cooper Flagg and Klay Thompson will the team to a win despite big performances from Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. This team is a long way away from contention, and losing may still be best for the long-term future, but watching Flagg come into his own is still a lot of fun.

And Flagg really looks like he's starting to get more comfortable. D'Angelo Russell has had two straight DNP-CDs, which has allowed more freedom in the offense for everyone. Ryan Nembhard and Brandon Williams have split duties at point guard, and the offense has been much smoother as a result.