Dallas Mavericks Plan To Start Jumbo Lineup vs. Los Angeles Lakers Again With Cooper Flagg At Point Guard
After the Dallas Mavericks’ 114–101 preseason win over the Utah Jazz, head coach Jason Kidd hinted that the team’s oversized starting lineup could be here to stay — at least for now.
With D’Angelo Russell sidelined, the Mavericks rolled out a frontcourt-heavy group featuring Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, Cooper Flagg, P.J. Washington, and Klay Thompson. The experiment paid off, producing dominant results inside and giving Dallas its best defensive rhythm of the preseason.
“You’ll probably see that group start again on Wednesday,” Kidd said after Monday’s win.
The Mavericks are set to face the Los Angeles Lakers in Las Vegas, and all signs point toward another look at the five-man unit that combined length, size, and tempo to overwhelm Utah. Dallas outrebounded the Jazz 59–48, blocked 10 shots, and held them to just 40.2 percent shooting.
Anthony Davis Thrives at Center
Anthony Davis continued his ramp-up with 25 points in 25 minutes, spending extended time at center while Lively played limited minutes as part of the rotation plan. Kidd said there’s no injury concern with Lively — the shift was designed to see how Davis could anchor smaller, faster lineups while maintaining the team’s size advantage.
“You could see his conditioning — he’s starting to ramp up more minutes,” Kidd said. “If he’s going to play like he did tonight, that puts us in a good seat to win a lot of games.”
Davis was active on both ends, scoring inside and creating opportunities for others through dribble handoffs and high-post playmaking. His presence in the middle stabilized the Mavericks’ spacing, allowing Flagg and Washington to cut and attack off movement while Thompson floated into open perimeter looks.
Cooper Flagg Runs the Offense
The lineup also featured 18-year-old Cooper Flagg at point guard, a wrinkle Kidd introduced before tipoff to evaluate the team’s versatility. Flagg responded with 11 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks, running the offense with confidence and setting up teammates in transition.
“The one thing we’ve talked about since day one is anyone can bring it,” Kidd said. “Turnovers, rebounds, on makes — you’ll see that with the lineup change. We’re looking to score in the first six seconds.”
Flagg’s composure and ability to initiate sets gave Dallas flexibility, with Washington and Thompson sharing secondary creation duties. The result was balanced ball movement — the Mavericks finished with 32 assists on 37 made field goals.
Establishing an Identity
Kidd has emphasized throughout camp that Dallas’ success will depend on striking a balance between size and pace. The Mavericks attempted 53 three-pointers against Utah — nearly double their total from Saturday’s home loss to Charlotte — while still dominating the paint.
“We want to shoot 60 like everybody else,” Kidd said. “That’s just the trend right now in this league — if you can get to 50 or more, you have a chance to win. But can you dominate the paint as much as getting up 50 threes? Can you do both?”
The Mavericks’ performance Monday offered a glimpse of that formula. They pushed the pace, forced turnovers, and controlled the boards while integrating multiple playmakers. Kidd said that’s the balance he’s looking to replicate as preseason continues.
What’s Next
Dallas will practice Tuesday in Las Vegas before facing the Lakers on Wednesday night. The team will use the matchup to continue building chemistry within its jumbo lineup and further ramp up minutes for Davis and Thompson.
Kidd said the goal isn’t just experimenting with size, but setting the tone for the season’s identity.
“I don’t know when the last time a Mavs team shot 50-some threes,” Kidd said. “But we also dominated the paint, and that’s what we want — we can do both.”
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