Dallas – In a tightly contested matchup on Monday night, the Dallas Mavericks edged the Miami Heat 113‑109, thanks to a clutch performance by rookie guard Cooper Flagg. Flagg posted a double‑double with 29 points and 11 assists, and his decisive block of a three‑point attempt by Andrew Wiggins with 31 seconds left preserved a two‑point lead for the Mavericks.

Key contributions

Flagg’s scoring burst came in the fourth quarter, where he poured in 12 of his points. He also facilitated the offense, finding teammates for easy baskets. PJ Washington added 20 points, while Kyrie Irving contributed 18 and Walter Clayton Jr. chipped in 15 for Dallas.

For Miami, Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded his first triple‑double with the Heat, tallying 29 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists. Davion Mitchell led the Heat’s scoring with 21 points, but the team struggled at the line, missing 11 of 25 free‑throw attempts.

Game flow

The Heat opened the game strongly, jumping to a 19‑11 lead midway through the first quarter and then outscoring the Mavericks 37‑17 over the next 12 minutes to establish a 12‑point advantage, the largest margin they have held this season.

Dallas responded, narrowing the gap and taking a 53‑52 lead into halftime. The third quarter saw the lead change hands several times, with Miami briefly up by ten points after the break before the Mavericks reclaimed a one‑point edge at 84‑83 with just over twelve minutes remaining.

In the final period, Dallas seized control, pulling ahead midway through the fourth quarter and maintaining the advantage despite Miami’s late surge. Flagg’s late block on Wiggins’ three‑point try with 31 seconds left ensured the Mavericks held on for the win.

Coaching notes

This game marked the first meeting between first‑year Dallas head coach Dusty May and Miami’s veteran coach Erik Spoelstra. May, who guided Florida Atlantic to the 2023 Final Four and led Michigan to the 2026 NCAA title, earned praise from Spoelstra, who called him “a heck of a coach.” May’s son, Jack, previously worked in Miami’s video room before joining his father’s staff in Dallas.

The victory improves the Mavericks’ early‑season record and hands the Heat their fifth 0‑4 start, a dubious milestone not seen since the 2008‑09 season.

Looking ahead

Dallas will look to build on this momentum as they continue their conference schedule, while Miami hopes to rebound from the early setbacks and find consistency on both ends of the floor.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.