Cooper Flagg turned 30 minutes into a 26-point, 12-rebound night in Dallas's preseason-ending loss to Atlanta, while Kyrie Irving hit 5-of-7 from three in 25 minutes and still drew the bigger plus-minus hit at minus-20. One of them produced more in that game; the other still holds the bigger number on the payroll sheet.
Flagg's Workload Says Engine
Flagg played 30 minutes against Atlanta, the most of any Maverick, and turned it into a 26-point, 12-rebound, 4-assist night on 8-of-20 shooting, including 2-of-6 from three and 8-of-9 at the line. He finished at minus-10 in a loss that still asked him to do the most of anyone on the roster. Last season he averaged a 21.0-point, 6.7-rebound, 4.5-assist season over 70 games as a 19-year-old rookie, shooting 29.5 percent from three, a workload no one else here carried, and the clearest sign of whose team this is becoming right now.
Irving's Contract Says Otherwise
Irving's $39.5 million salary is still the largest on a $197.9 million payroll, ahead of P.J. Washington's $19.8 million, Klay Thompson's $17.5 million and Daniel Gafford's $17.3 million. He shot 5-of-7 from three against the Hawks in 25 minutes, finishing at minus-20, and closed the fourth quarter next to Flagg, Naji Marshall, P.J. Washington and Morez Johnson Jr. in a game where Atlanta's largest lead was six. At 34 and in his 14th season, Irving is still the one Dallas pays like the engine, even on a worse night than Flagg's.
The League Still Grades Dallas
Dallas's offense ranked 27th in the league last season at a 110.3 rating, with a defense that finished 115.5 and a net rating of minus-5.2, part of a 26-56 finish. Flagg can out-produce Irving in a single box score, but until that team-wide number climbs, it is Irving's shot-making, not Flagg's rebounding, that the offense still runs through. That gap between one big night and one bad season is still this team's real question, which keeps it his team to hand off, not yet Flagg's to take.
Is Cooper Flagg already the Mavericks' best player?
By production, yes — he had a 26-point, 12-rebound night in 30 minutes against Atlanta, the most playing time on the roster. By payroll and shot creation, Kyrie Irving's $39.5 million salary and 5-of-7 night from three still make him the first option on paper.
Why did the Mavericks lose to Atlanta 111-135?
Atlanta outscored Dallas in every quarter, including a 39-34 first and a 34-20 second, and led by as many as six. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 25 and Aaron Wiggins added 19 off the bench, more than an offense that ranked 27th in the league a year ago could answer.
More from The Big D Breakdown
all Mavericks news →
Morning · Sat, Oct 17Mavericks' Bench Outplays Its Own Starters In Preseason-Ending Blowout
Postgame · Fri, Oct 16Hawks Blow Out Mavericks 135-111 In Dallas's Last Tune-Up
The big question · Tue, Oct 13The Big Question: Can Dallas's Defense Carry A Still-Broken Offense?
The big question · Sat, Oct 10Dallas's Real Question: Patience With Flagg, Or Pressure From The Cap?
The big question · Sat, Oct 3The Big Question: Is Dallas Spending Like A Contender Or Still Building?
The big question · Wed, Sep 30The Big D Breakdown: Payroll Says Win Now, Record Says Not Yet