{"id":110455,"date":"2026-01-04T16:09:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T16:09:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/110455\/"},"modified":"2026-01-04T16:09:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T16:09:15","slug":"mavericks-snap-4-game-slump-with-win-over-rockets-as-cooper-flagg-navigates-rookie-wall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/110455\/","title":{"rendered":"Mavericks snap 4-game slump with win over Rockets as Cooper Flagg navigates \u2018Rookie Wall\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Mavericks<\/a> coach Jason Kidd<\/a>\u2019s admission, Cooper Flagg<\/a> is confronting the dreaded, but predictable, NBA rookie wall.<\/p>\n

Fortunately for Dallas, Flagg\u2019s teammates had his back on this Saturday night of continued offensive struggles, storming back from an early 11-point deficit and holding on to beat Houston, 110-104 in American Airlines Center.<\/p>\n

While breaking a four-game losing streak, Dallas (13-23) got 26 points, 12 rebounds and a key late block from Anthony Davis<\/a>; as well as 24 points and seven rebounds from guard Max Christie.<\/p>\n

Houston (21-11) lost center Alperen Sengun to a right ankle sprain just 1:04 into the game, but that didn\u2019t keep the Rockets from jumping to a 20-9 lead.<\/p>\n

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Flagg committed two fouls in the first four minutes and sat out the rest of the first quarter. He finished with 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting, but he contributed in other ways, finishing with 7 rebounds and 6 assists.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not always going to score 30 every night,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cHe got in foul trouble, but I thought the maturity of being able to do other things for his teammates, finding them for threes or making plays and rebounding, was big.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Mavericks led 87-75 entering the fourth quarter, but Houston ate into the deficit.<\/p>\n

With Dallas leading 101-93, Rockets forward Tari Eason drove to the basket but was stonewalled at the rim by Davis with 2:59 left. Showing his versatility, 6-foot-11 Davis snared the ball, dribbled upcourt and Davis fed Klay Thompson in the left corner for a 3-pointer.<\/p>\n

Not in my house! See photos from the Mavericks’ home win over the Rockets<\/p>\n

\"DallasView Gallery<\/p>\n

Flagg is second among NBA rookies with a 19.2 scoring average and was the Western Conference Rookie of the Month<\/a> in November and December. But in Dallas\u2019 previous two games, losses to Portland and Philadelphia, he had a combined 27 points on 11-of-35 shooting.<\/p>\n

Kidd couldn\u2019t help but notice a drop in Flagg\u2019s energy, along with production.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s playing a lot of minutes,\u201d Kidd noted before Saturday\u2019s game. \u201cSo to touch this rookie wall that I think he\u2019s touching right now, and to be able to play through it is a positive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Entering Saturday, Flagg\u2019s average of 34.6 minutes led the Mavericks and was 18th-most in the NBA.<\/p>\n

But because Flagg had played in 34 of Dallas\u2019 36 games, the more relevant statistic was his 1,117.5 minutes played \u2013 ninth-most in the NBA.<\/p>\n

I asked Anthony Davis about Cooper Flagg confronting the proverbial rookie wall, having played roughly the same number of games and minutes as he did all last season at Duke. pic.twitter.com\/2reJSqKbmU<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Brad Townsend (@townbrad) January 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Kidd\u2019s reference to the proverbial Rookie Wall is timely. At Duke last season, Flagg played 1,135 minutes in 37 games.<\/p>\n

How can the Mavericks as an organization help Flagg power through the rookie wall?<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got to touch it,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cYou\u2019ve gotta rub it and hold it. He\u2019s got to embrace it. That\u2019s just a mental thing. For the great ones, they touch it. They don\u2019t run from it. They find a way to go over it or through it or around it, because it\u2019s not going to move.\u201d<\/p>\n

This night produced the usual physical and emotional elements of a Mavericks-Rockets Texas tussle, even though the franchises entered the game headed in opposite directions.<\/p>\n

Third-in-the-West Houston had won four straight; 13th-place Dallas had lost four in a row.<\/p>\n

For the Mavericks, this is uncharted territory during Kidd\u2019s five seasons as head coach.<\/p>\n

Prior to this season, the most games under .500 Dallas had been under Kidd was six, when it lost the last two games of the 2022-23 season to finish 38-44.<\/p>\n

A 5-15 start to this season produced a new low-water mark, but the Mavericks seemingly were righting the ship when they won six of eight games from Nov. 29 to Dec. 18, culminating with a home overtime win over Detroit<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Since then, however, Dallas had lost six of seven, falling to 11-under .500 entering Saturday night.<\/p>\n

As the Mavericks rallied from the early deficit, Christie, Davis and Brandon Williams (15 points off the bench) were the offensive catalysts.<\/p>\n

Christie shot 10-of-13 from the field, including 4-of-6 on 3-pointers, but it was his three dunks that were a talking point in the locker room afterward.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe just has the utmost confidence,\u201d Davis said. \u201cWe actually get mad at him when he doesn\u2019t shoot the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n

Said Christie, laughting, of his dunks: \u201cThree might be the most of my career. It felt good to be athletic out there, to be able to attack the rim and get a couple of dunks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Dallas<\/a>Mavericks\u2019 Cooper Flagg named Western Conference rookie of the month for second time<\/a><\/p>\n

Flagg is the third Maverick to earn consecutive Rookie of the Month honors.<\/p>\n

\"Dallas<\/a>Return of Anthony Davis feels hollow given Mavericks\u2019 plans to accept losing in 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The new year began with a loss to Philadelphia and plenty of uncertainty about the team\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n

Find more Mavericks coverage from The Dallas Morning News here<\/a>.<\/p>\n