Mavericks return to action against Nets after nearly a week off

The Dallas Mavericks are back in action on Friday night after nearly a week off, and they'll be hosting the Brooklyn Nets, arguably the worst team in the NBA. Dallas entered this break having won four of the last five games, picking up good wins over the Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, and Houston Rockets.

This game was only scheduled because of how poorly both teams played in the NBA Cup qualifying games. The Mavericks went 1-3 with a point differential of -21, while the Nets matched that record with a -29 point differential. Dallas will also get a game in against the Utah Jazz, which could help them keep this hot streak going.

A lot of the success is due to Anthony Davis returning and playing center, plus the promotion of Ryan Nembhard to the starting lineup. The spacing just looks a lot better, the flow of the offense is much smoother, and everything is a lot cleaner. It's amazing what happens when there's an actual point guard in the lineup, and Anthony Davis is playing the position he's supposed to be playing.

Dec 6, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) looks on from the bench during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

Cooper Flagg has also been playing much better now that he's not being asked to play point guard. The three-point shot is still a work-in-progress, but he's been playing with a splint on his thumb for nearly a month now. That's definitely hurting some of his shooting, but he's finding a lot of confidence in the mid-range and around the rim. The rest will come eventually.

Meanwhile, Brooklyn has been predictably bad. They were one of the worst teams in the NBA, then won three of their last four games before this mini break, but they beat the Hornets, Bulls, and Pelicans; not exactly a quality group of opponents.

Michael Porter Jr. has made more headlines off the court than on with some of his outlandish podcast quotes, but he has been making the most out of this opportunity, averaging 25.8 PPG on really great shooting splits. But when Michael Porter Jr. is a team's top option, they have a really low ceiling.