Mavericks Hold Off Heat 113-109 on Flagg's Late Block

Dallas residents watching Monday night's game saw the Mavericks protect a lead they had held since midway through the fourth quarter, closing out Miami 113-109 at American Airlines Center. Cooper Flagg finished with 29 points and 11 assists.

The decisive sequence came with 31 seconds left. Flagg blocked Andrew Wiggins' 3-point attempt with Dallas clinging to a two-point edge, then Miami could not convert on its next possession. PJ Washington scored 20 points for Dallas, Kyrie Irving added 18 and Walter Clayton Jr. contributed 15. Flagg scored 12 of his points in the fourth quarter.

Miami's path to the loss followed a sharp swing early. The Heat trailed 19-11 midway through the first quarter, then outscored Dallas 37-17 over the next 12 minutes to build a 12-point cushion, their largest lead of the season. Dallas pulled ahead 53-52 by halftime, Miami led 84-83 after three quarters, and the Mavericks seized control again in the fourth. Miami missed 11 of 25 free throws.

Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded his first triple-double since joining the Heat with 29 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists. Davion Mitchell scored 21 for Miami, which dropped to 0-4 for the fifth time in team history and the first time since 2008-09.

The game marked the first meeting between first-year Dallas coach Dusty May and Miami's Erik Spoelstra. May led Michigan to the 2026 NCAA title, and Spoelstra called him "a heck of a coach" before Monday's tip. The Mavericks' next scheduled game was not listed in the source material.

Miami's loss completed a four-game winless start. The Heat's next opponent was not specified in the source material.