‘Character Is Going To Be Tested’: Injuries, Cold Shooting Doom Dallas Mavericks In Loss To Denver Nuggets

Grant AfsethJanuary 15, 2026January 15, 2026

Naji Marshall, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, NBA

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

The Dallas Mavericks fought until the final minute Wednesday night, but a combination of injuries, missed opportunities, and cold shooting proved too much to overcome.

Behind a poised, assertive performance from Jamal Murray, the Denver Nuggets capitalized on Dallas’ mounting injuries and late-game fatigue to secure a 118-109 victory at American Airlines Center, sending the Mavericks to their 26th loss of the season and further testing the group’s resilience at the halfway point.

Denver Nuggets improved to 28-13 with their third straight win, maintaining the third-best record in the NBA. The Dallas Mavericks fell to 15-26, with another quick turnaround looming Thursday against Utah.

At the center of the result was Jamal Murray, who scored 33 points and delivered the decisive baskets late as Dallas’ comeback stalled.

“He’s good,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “He should’ve been an All-Star probably a couple years ago, but he should be an All-Star this year. He’s one that can take over the game, and we saw that tonight.”

Injuries Reshape the Night

Dallas entered the game shorthanded and left it thinner still. Already without Anthony Davis (left hand), Kyrie Irving (knee surgery), Dereck Lively II (foot surgery), and Danté Exum (knee surgery), the Mavericks lost rookie cornerstone Cooper Flagg and center Daniel Gafford to ankle injuries before the end of the third quarter.

Flagg rolled his left ankle with 6:01 remaining in the second quarter after stepping on Peyton Watson’s foot. He limped directly to the locker room, returned briefly late in the half, but was held out for the entire second half as Ryan Nembhard started in his place.

“He stepped on someone’s foot, and I think the last game he twisted his ankle too,” Kidd said. “So they decided to hold him out for the second half. Next man up.”

Flagg finished with six points on 3-of-9 shooting in just under 15 minutes, snapping a streak of 35 consecutive games scoring at least 10 points. The injury came on a night that began with celebration, as Flagg was presented with the Western Conference Rookie of the Month trophy for December prior to tipoff.

Gafford followed in the third quarter, re-aggravating a lingering right ankle sprain he initially suffered in training camp. He attempted to play through the discomfort before being ruled out after another trip to the locker room, finishing with six points and a game-high 10 rebounds in 18 minutes.

“I think we lose Coop and Gaff to sprained ankles,” Kidd said. “Two guys you’re dependent on. But next man up, and the group that was out there fighting gave us a chance.”

Denver Nuggets’ Early Control From The Perimeter

Denver established separation early, punishing Dallas from beyond the arc and exploiting the Mavericks’ thin rotation.

The Nuggets knocked down 9-of-23 three-pointers in the first half and led 63-46 at the break. Seven different Denver players hit at least one three before halftime, including former Maverick Tim Hardaway Jr. and Spencer Jones, who each buried a pair.

After Dallas led 13-10 midway through the first quarter, Denver responded with a 15-5 run fueled by Aaron Gordon’s shooting and Watson’s rim pressure, seizing control they would not relinquish.

“They’re very unselfish,” Kidd said pregame. “That comes from their best player understanding the pass. It’s a veteran ball club.”

Aaron Gordon finished with 22 points and six rebounds, Watson added 18 points and five boards, and Denver connected on 16-of-38 attempts from three for the game. Dallas, meanwhile, went just 5-of-34 from deep.

“We didn’t shoot the ball at all tonight, from the free-throw line or from three,” Kidd said. “Tonight was hard for our shooting, but the guys kept playing.”

Missed Shots Magnify the Margin

While Denver’s perimeter shooting set the tone, Dallas’ inability to capitalize from deep and at the free-throw line ultimately magnified the gap.

The Mavericks finished just 5-of-34 from three-point range and went 22-of-33 at the free-throw line, leaving critical points on the floor during multiple momentum swings.

“We didn’t shoot the ball at all tonight, from the free-throw line or from three,” Kidd said. “That’s hard to overcome, especially against a team like that.”

Klay Thompson, chasing a major career milestone, went 2-of-7 from three and finished with eight points. Several other Mavericks generated clean looks that simply did not fall, particularly during the first half when Denver built its cushion.

Dallas Mavericks’ Second-Half Rally

Despite the deficit and the injuries, Dallas refused to fold. Led by Naji Marshall’s relentless downhill pressure and an energized bench, the Mavericks chipped away throughout the second half, cutting a 23-point deficit to just six late in the fourth quarter.

Marshall paced Dallas with 24 points, five rebounds and three assists, recording his sixth 20-point game of the season and his second straight. Brandon Williams returned from a brief illness to score 20 points and grab seven rebounds, repeatedly getting into the paint and drawing contact. Caleb Martin added a season-high 15 points, three steals and a team-best plus-17, igniting the crowd with a fast-break dunk and timely defensive activity.

“Just intensity,” Marshall said when asked what sparked the comeback. “We brought it on the defensive end, getting stops, and we were pushing the pace on offense. Some of our best offense is when we get out in transition.”

Dallas closed within 113-107 on a 9-0 run capped by a Martin three-pointer with 1:12 remaining. A Klay Thompson miss on the ensuing possession prevented it from becoming a one-possession game, and Murray responded with a step-back jumper moments later.

“They made some shots,” Marshall said. “They played well as a team together. Shout out to them. We’ve just got to go back to the drawing board.”

Jason Kidd: “Character Is Going To Be Tested”

For Kidd, the result was less about the final score than the continued evaluation of his group under sustained adversity.

“They have no choice,” Kidd said when asked how the team stays bought in. “The pros — your character is going to be tested in hard times. This is a hard time for us. We’ve had a lot of injuries. This is the norm. This is who we are.

“The character’s been displayed in tough times, being down, but we keep fighting.”

That mindset was echoed by Martin, who has seen his role expand amid the injuries.

“It’s a game of resilience,” Martin said. “It’s about who stays locked in and disciplined the longest. We’re capable of doing that. We see where slippage happens, and we can get over the hump if we keep applying those messages.”

Cooper Flagg’s Growing Burden

Before the setback, Flagg had once again been asked to shoulder a heavy load. Kidd acknowledged pregame that the rookie’s responsibilities have grown rapidly as injuries have mounted.

“We’re asking him to do everything — rebound, score, make plays, guard, block shots,” Kidd said earlier in the day. “He’s up for the challenge. And if he has a below-average game, he bounces back quickly. That’s good to see from a 19-year-old.”

Kidd added that the long grind remains the next hurdle.

“There’s a lot of basketball left,” he said. “With injuries, we’ve leaned on him more than we probably should in terms of minutes and stretches. The more we can stay healthy, the more we can shorten those stints.”

Whether Flagg or Gafford will be available Thursday remains unclear. What is certain is that Dallas’ margin continues to shrink, even as its fight remains intact.

“We’re not far off from winning these games,” Martin said. “We just have to tighten things up.”

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Grant Afseth

Senior Writer

Grant Afseth is a Senior Writer for DallasHoopsJournal.com, where he leads in-depth coverage of the Mavericks, Wings, and more. Between a focus on the latest news, closer looks at games, front office strategy, and more, Afseth provides objective coverage. Afseth contributes broader NBA coverage across platforms and has been cited in national outlets for his reporting and analysis. With nearly a decade of journalism experience, Afseth has covered the NBA and WNBA for multiple major outlets, including Athlon Sports, BallIsLife, Sportskeeda, and RG.org. He previously reported on the Indiana Pacers for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and the Mavericks for FanNation.

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