This one never felt competitive, and that became obvious early before the 107-125 loss on Saturday night. Dallas struggled to establish any rhythm on either end, fell behind quickly, and spent most of the night reacting instead of dictating. Without Anthony Davis anchoring the lineup, and with the expectation he could miss real time, the Mavericks looked disjointed, undersized, and unsure of where their offense was supposed to come from.
Chicago took full advantage. The Bulls lived in the paint, ran off every miss, and punished Dallas for every defensive breakdown. Even when the Mavericks found short bursts of offense, they couldn’t string together stops or control the glass. The final score didn’t exaggerate anything, this was a game that slipped away almost as soon as it started.
Ryan Nembhard: B-
Game Stats: 16 PTS, 6 AST, 2 TOV, 5-11 FG, 3-6 3PT, 3-4 FT, 29 MIN
Nembhard was one of the few Mavericks who looked composed. He spaced the floor, made the extra pass, and kept the ball moving even when things were unraveling.
That said, he struggled defensively and couldn’t contain dribble penetration. His offense helped keep the score respectable, but Chicago targeted him on the other end.
Jaden Hardy: C+
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 1 REB, 2 TOV, 5-8 FG, 4-7 3PT, 13 MIN
Hardy was one of the few bright spots. He came in firing, spaced the floor, and briefly injected life into the offense. His shooting was confident and decisive.
Defensively and as a playmaker, the limitations remain, but his scoring punch was noticeable, and needed.
Naji Marshall: C+
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 4-11 FG, 1-4 3PT, 5-8 FT, 24 MIN
Marshall brought energy, and that alone separated him from several teammates. He attacked passing lanes, pushed in transition, and at least tried to create pressure. His scoring came in spurts, not flow, but the aggression was there.
The issue was efficiency and consistency. Too many missed free throws stalled momentum, and his perimeter shooting never forced Chicago to adjust. He competed, but competition alone wasn’t enough in a game like this.
Moussa Cisse: C+
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 10 REB, 2 STL, 3 BLK, 1 TOV, 2-3 FG, 19 MIN
Cisse brought physicality and effort, especially on the glass. His rebounding and rim protection were among the better defensive contributions Dallas had all night.
Offensively, his limitations showed. He struggled finishing in traffic and didn’t provide spacing. Still, his energy stood out compared to others.
Max Christie: C
Game Stats: 10 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 4-9 FG, 2-5 3PT, 27 MIN
Christie did his job offensively when shots came his way. He knocked down a couple of threes and didn’t overhandle, which helped stabilize stretches of the offense.
Still, his overall impact was limited. He wasn’t able to defend up a position, and his off-ball defense slipped at times. Solid effort, but not nearly enough to swing momentum.
Daniel Gafford: C
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 7 REB, 1 BLK, 2-6 FG, 2-3 FT, 25 MIN
Daniel Gafford’s numbers don’t look disastrous at first glance, but his impact was minimal. He struggled to finish through contact, didn’t control the paint defensively, and couldn’t slow Chicago’s interior attack. The Mavericks needed him to be a physical presence with Davis out, and instead he blended into the background.
Defensively, he was often a step late rotating and didn’t deter drivers. His rebounding effort was fine, but it never translated into second-chance momentum. This was a quiet night when Dallas needed volume and force.
Caleb Martin: C
Game Stats: 8 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST, 1 TOV, 3-6 FG, 0-1 3-PT FG, 2-5 FT, 20 MIN
Martin had moments where he helped steady the offense, especially with his passing. He found cutters and kept possessions alive.
Unfortunately, missed free throws and defensive lapses overshadowed those positives. His minutes didn’t swing the game either way, which was part of the larger problem.
Klay Thompson: C
Game Stats: 10 PTS, 2 REB, 1 BLK, 4-10 FG, 2-6 3PT, 20 MIN
Klay Thompson’s shooting never found rhythm, and when his jumper isn’t falling, his margin for impact shrinks. He struggled defensively against quicker guards and didn’t generate much off-ball movement.
This was one of those nights where the shots felt rushed rather than in flow. Dallas needed a veteran stabilizer, they didn’t get it.
Miles Kelly: C
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 2-4 FG, 1-3 3PT, 15 MIN
Kelly gave the Mavericks competent minutes. He didn’t force shots, rotated defensively, and knocked down an open three.
That said, he didn’t impact the game in any significant way. A neutral showing in a game that needed something extra.
D’Angelo Russell: C-
Game Stats: 8 PTS, 4 AST, 2 TOV, 4-10 FG, 0-2 3-PT FG, 19 MIN
Russell showed flashes of playmaking, particularly in early second-half possessions, but his defensive issues resurfaced quickly. Chicago hunted mismatches and forced switches that put him in tough spots.
Offensively, he never fully controlled the tempo. The ball moved, but the offense didn’t sharpen.
Cooper Flagg: D
Game Stats: 11 PTS, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 5 TOV, 4-13 FG, 0-1 3-PT FG, 3-3 FT, 28 MIN
This was a tough one for Cooper Flagg, especially given the responsibility on his shoulders. Chicago forced him into traffic repeatedly, and the turnovers came from trying to do a little too much too quickly.
He showed defensive instincts and didn’t shy away from contact, but the offensive rhythm never developed. Nights like this are part of the learning curve, even if they’re uncomfortable to sit through.
Dwight Powell: N/A
Game Stats: 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 REB, 1 MIN
Dwight Powell only got a minute of play on the night, and while he did a bit of work, it isn’t enough to give him a grade.
