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Nets' 27th-ranked offense meets Mavericks' 11th-ranked defense

Cooper Flagg leads Dallas in points, assists and steals, and both teams are missing rotation players.

Brooklyn scores 105.3 points per 100 possessions, 27th in the NBA
Cooper Flagg averages 23.9 points and 2.3 steals a game
Brooklyn turns it over on 15.1% of its possessions, 27th in the league

Published November 8, 2026 at 8:01 AM2 min read How this story was written

Final

Brooklyn Nets

Dallas Mavericks

Box score and plays

The Brooklyn Nets (2-7) and their 27th-ranked offense, which leans on threes, visit the Dallas Mavericks (5-4) and the league's 11th-ranked defense Sunday night at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Brooklyn scores 105.3 points per 100 possessions, 27th of 30 teams. Only two teams take a bigger share of their shots from three, yet the Nets rank 22nd with an effective field goal percentage of 51.9.

That volume meets a Dallas defense rated 109.5, 11th in the league. The Mavericks hold opponents to an effective field goal percentage of 51.5, 10th, so a cold night from deep leaves Brooklyn little else.

Ball security is the second problem. Brooklyn turns it over on 15.1% of its possessions, 27th, and Cooper Flagg averages 2.3 steals a game.

The glass tilts toward the Nets. Brooklyn grabs 76.2% of available defensive rebounds, third in the league, against a Dallas team that ranks eighth on the offensive boards, so second chances for the Mavericks will be scarce.

Flagg runs the Dallas attack at 23.9 points and 6.4 assists a game. P.J. Washington adds 7.8 rebounds, two of them on the offensive end.

Michael Porter Jr. carries Brooklyn with 21.8 points and 7.6 rebounds a game. Julius Randle leads the team with 5.1 assists but also commits 4.1 turnovers, the exact leak Flagg feeds on.

Brooklyn's backcourt is short-handed. Mikel Brown Jr., who plays 23.2 minutes a game, and Egor Demin, at 21.8, are both out, with Wednesday, November 11, as their expected return.

Dallas is without center Dereck Lively II, Tarik Biberovic and Sergio De Larrea, all out and expected back Thursday, November 12. Caleb Martin is available. With Lively out, Daniel Gafford and his 1.9 blocks a game anchor the paint.

Dallas beat Utah 112-100 in its last game and earlier routed Oklahoma City 120-96 at home. Brooklyn comes off a 124-121 loss at Atlanta.

Sportsbooks' prices give the Mavericks a 77% chance to win. The Keel Stats projection, blended with the market, puts them at 76% and favors them by seven points.