In today's NBA regular season game, the Mavericks fell 99-101 at home to the Pelicans, dropping to 2-6 and remaining last in the Western Conference standings.

After last season's shock trade of Luka Doncic to the Lakers, the Mavericks unexpectedly landed the No. 1 overall pick and selected Jalen Flagg. Fans jokingly called it the league's "compensation" for trading Doncic. However, this season, the Mavericks—still waiting for Kyrie Irving—appear to be hurtling toward another top overall pick (they hold their own 2026 first-round selection)...

After trading Doncic, Nico Harrison explicitly stated that "defense wins championships" is the Mavericks' core philosophy. While the team's points allowed per 100 possessions this season ranks among the league's top six, their points scored per 100 possessions sit at the bottom of the league. This disparity results in a dismal net rating of -8.33 points per 100 possessions.