‘I Feel Bad For My Mavs Fans’: Dirk Nowitzki Gets Brutally Honest About Dallas Mavericks’ Struggles, Shares Advice for Cooper Flagg

Grant AfsethNovember 8, 2025November 8, 2025no comment

Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Prime Video

Dirk Nowitzki has seen plenty of slow starts in his time, but this one feels different.

The Dallas Mavericks fell 118–104 to the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night, their fourth consecutive loss and a performance that underscored every concern about their early-season collapse. At 2–7, Dallas enters Saturday’s matchup in Washington desperate for energy, identity, and direction.

Dirk Nowitzki on Dallas’ Offensive Struggles

Nowitzki, who remains an enduring voice of perspective for the franchise, didn’t sugarcoat what’s gone wrong.

“I feel bad for my Mavs fans,” Nowitzki said. “This has been a disastrous start. There’s a hole at the point guard and playmaking positions. We knew that hole wasn’t filled this summer, so there’s a gap in shot creation and shot making.”

The Mavericks’ problems were on full display in Memphis. Dallas shot 48.8 percent from the field but just 25.6 percent from beyond the arc, continuing a season-long trend of inefficiency. The team trailed by 35 early in the third quarter, struggling to generate open looks or sustain any ball movement.

“They’re actually on pace to have a record-bad start offensively,” Nowitzki said. “They can’t shoot, they can’t make plays. It’s all side-to-side, east-and-west handoffs. Nobody can make shots. It’s been tough to watch.”

Head coach Jason Kidd echoed the sentiment, admitting the Mavericks’ offense has been lifeless at the start of games.

“We’re not shooting the three well,” Kidd said. “We’re getting them up and getting wide open looks there in that first quarter. The ball’s touching the paint and finding the open guys — we just can’t capitalize on it.

Flat Starts, Injuries, and Missing Leadership

For the second straight game, Dallas came out flat. By halftime, the Grizzlies had already built a 74–51 lead. Ja Morant dissected the Mavericks’ defense with 21 points and 12 assists, while rookie Cedric Coward added 21 points and nine rebounds.

Kidd admitted his team looked soft early.

“When you talk about Ja, his ability to break down the defense — if you over-help, he finds the open guy,” Kidd said. “They’re really good at driving the ball. I thought we were soft as a group to start. They got a lot of easy shots and shot the three well. We could never recover.”

Compounding the problem, center Daniel Gafford exited in the second quarter with right ankle soreness, leaving Dallas without another key piece in a frontcourt already missing Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II.

“We said coming into the season that health would be big for them,” Nowitzki said. “Kyrie’s out for a couple more months, but you need A.D. healthy, Lively healthy, and both of those guys have already been out for a while. Gafford’s missed some games too, so it’s been a disaster of a start.”

The Mavericks have lacked both continuity and leadership. Their starters were all minus-21 or worse against Memphis. Even with a brief fourth-quarter push, the game was long out of reach.

Max Christie and Moussa Cissé Provide Late Spark

Max Christie led Dallas with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting and was candid afterward about the lack of energy.

“We had no energy at all, to be honest,” Christie said. “That fourth quarter we actually played with some life. A quick turnaround tomorrow going into Washington, we have to play with that kind of energy. We had no energy for the first three quarters. We just got to be better.”

Christie emphasized that the team’s problems extend beyond coaching.

“We were all communicating at halftime like, ‘What can we do? No one’s coming to save us,’” he said. “This isn’t even on the coaches. This is the players. They’re giving us the answers to the test with the scouting reports. We’re just not executing.”

Kidd praised Moussa Cissé, who added 10 points and eight rebounds in 14 minutes during a return to Memphis, where he played collegiately.

“He plays hard — that’s how he plays,” Kidd said. “He’s out there to prove that he belongs. He’s hungry, and that’s what stands out when you watch him play.”

Cissé said he focused on energy and effort in his brief but impactful stint.

“I like to bring the energy every time,” he said. “That’s what we were missing. I was waiting for my number to be called, and I knew if I got in, I was going to bring that.”

Dirk Nowitzki’s Advice for Cooper Flagg

Amid the chaos, rookie forward Cooper Flagg continues to show flashes of promise. The No. 1 overall pick had 12 points and six rebounds against Memphis, narrowly missing his first free throw of the season after making 23 straight to begin his career.

Nowitzki, who knows what it’s like to face adversity early in a career, shared advice for the 18-year-old.

“Cooper, I would just keep working,” Nowitzki said. “I know you have a tremendous work ethic, so you’ll work your way through it. Come in the next day, be the first one in the gym, get shots up, get with an assistant coach, watch film, and just get better.”

He stressed the importance of staying grounded, even when the losses pile up.

“Whether you’re winning or losing, keep a positive attitude,” Nowitzki said. “Show up every day ready to improve. You’ve already had a chance to take a game-tying shot at the end — that’s great experience. Keep working, keep your head up, and things will be okay.”

Looking Ahead

The Mavericks face a quick turnaround Saturday night in Washington before returning home for a difficult four-game stretch against the Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, LA Clippers, and Portland Trail Blazers.

Nowitzki believes the path forward begins with accountability and consistency.

“You just keep showing up,” he said. “That’s what Mavs basketball always used to mean.”

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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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‘I Feel Bad For My Mavs Fans’: Dirk Nowitzki Gets Brutally Honest About Dallas Mavericks’ Struggles, Shares Advice for Cooper Flagg

Dirk Nowitzki on Dallas’ Offensive Struggles

Flat Starts, Injuries, and Missing Leadership