DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks closed their preseason schedule Friday night with a 135-111 loss to the Atlanta Hawks at American Airlines Center, leaving the team with areas to address before the regular season begins.
Cooper Flagg led Dallas with 26 points and 12 rebounds, showing flashes of his offensive versatility despite the lopsided result. Kyrie Irving also provided a scoring spark, connecting on five 3-pointers.
Atlanta seized control early, taking a 39-34 lead after the first quarter before expanding the advantage to 73-54 at halftime. The Hawks continued to find scoring opportunities in the second half, limiting Dallas’ chances to mount a sustained comeback.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker paced Atlanta with 25 points in 27 minutes, helping the Hawks maintain their offensive pressure throughout the contest.
The Mavericks showed brief signs of life after halftime, but defensive breakdowns and inconsistent shooting prevented them from closing the gap. Dallas entered the fourth quarter trailing 102-78.
The loss marked Dallas’ final tuneup before the regular season, giving the team one last opportunity to evaluate its rotations and address defensive concerns.
The Mavericks open the regular season Wednesday against the Houston Rockets.
