How To Watch Dallas Mavericks vs. Washington Wizards: Cooper Flagg Looks To Bounce Back (Oct. 24, 2025)

Grant AfsethOctober 24, 2025October 24, 2025no comment

Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, NBA

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

The Dallas Mavericks return home to face the Washington Wizards on Friday night looking to move past a humbling season-opening loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT at American Airlines Center in Dallas, with coverage on WFAA, KFAA-29, and MavsTV Stream.

The Mavericks (0–1) are coming off a 125–92 defeat to the Spurs in a game dominated by Victor Wembanyama’s 40-point, 15-rebound performance. Rookie forward Cooper Flagg posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in his NBA debut but acknowledged afterward that it was far from the night he envisioned.

“Obviously, I didn’t play incredibly well,” Flagg said. “But you got to move past it and try to focus on Friday. We know we got a lot better showings than that. It’s basketball. It’s not always going to go your way, but you got to adjust and be better on the fly.”

Head coach Jason Kidd echoed that sentiment, calling Thursday a “mental day” focused on reflection and recalibration. “We weren’t good at anything,” Kidd said. “So we obviously have a lot of room to grow.”

How to Watch Dallas Mavericks vs. Washington Wizards

Date: Friday, Oct. 24
Time: 7:30 p.m. CT
Location: American Airlines Center — Dallas, TX
TV: WFAA, KFAA-29, MavsTV Stream
Radio: 97.1 FM The Eagle; 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
Tickets: Mavs.com
Giveaway: Magnet Schedule (First 5,000 Fans)
Theme Night: Pride Night
Social Updates: Follow @DallasMavs, @MavsPR, and @DallasHoopsJournal

Dallas Mavericks Injury Report

Daniel Gafford: Out (Right Ankle)
Kyrie Irving: Out (Left Knee Surgery)
Dante Exum: Out (Fractured Left Hand)

Kidd noted that Gafford participated in light work Thursday and is “moving well” but remains day-to-day. “He did some stuff,” Kidd said. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.” He was ultimately ruled out.

Washington Wizards Injury Report

Bilal Coulibaly: Out (Right Wrist Surgery)

Focus on Offensive Identity

The Mavericks attempted just 21 three-pointers in their opener — far below their typical volume. Restoring their long-range rhythm was a point of emphasis during Thursday’s film session.

“Both teams. One shoots 20, we shoot 21,” Kidd said. “They got teams out there averaging 40. It was not a display of three-point shooting. It was a display of free throws and paint points — and they won both of those. We have to be better. We had some good looks that didn’t go down. But we shot way too many midrange shots.”

Max Christie, who went 3-of-4 from deep against San Antonio, said spacing and unselfishness are key to course correction.

“The NBA is trending toward higher volume three-point shooting,” Christie said. “We have shooters on our team and the playmakers to make those threes happen. We’re trying to figure out cutting and sacrificing for each other to create those opportunities.”

Cooper Flagg’s Learning Curve

Despite the loss, Kidd praised Flagg for staying composed and impacting the game beyond scoring.

“I thought Cooper played within himself,” Kidd said. “He took what the defense gave him. He’s one that’s not going to go out there and shoot every time he touches it. He tries to play the game the right way.”

Teammates emphasized patience as the 18-year-old adjusts to NBA pace and physicality. “Everybody knows it’s the first game, he’s 18 years old, and we’re asking him to do a lot,” Christie said. “He had a double-double in his first game, even though his shot wasn’t falling. He was still impacting the game.”

Anthony Davis, who led Dallas with 22 points and 13 rebounds, added perspective, emphasizing patience.

“It’s Game One. We’re all going to be better,” Davis said. “When Game One comes around, packed stadium and national TV game — everything was about Cooper and Wemby. He’ll be fine.”

Washington Wizards Outlook

The Wizards (0–1) also enter the matchup seeking their first win after a 133–121 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. Giannis Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 37 points and 14 rebounds, while Washington’s Khris Middleton paced the Wizards with 23 points.

Rookie forward Alex Sarr added 10 points and 11 rebounds, and first-round pick Tre Johnson, a Dallas native and University of Texas product, contributed 16 points off the bench in his debut.

“Washington has a couple vets over there that can put the ball in the basket in Middleton and C.J. McCollum,” Kidd said. “It’s not the Washington of old. They can put up a lot of points.”

What’s at Stake

The Mavericks will look to establish their new offensive identity built around ball movement, spacing, and defensive rebounding — two areas that faltered in their opener. Dallas was outscored 68–26 in the paint and surrendered 31 fast-break points to San Antonio.

“It started offensively,” Kidd said after Wednesday’s loss. “We’ve got to be better offensively, and that will help our defense. We just didn’t pass the ball — and that’s an easy fix.”

For Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis, and a reshaped Mavericks roster, Friday represents the first chance to turn the page.

Up Next

Dallas will host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday to continue a five-game homestand on the first night of a back-to-back.

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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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How To Watch Dallas Mavericks vs. Washington Wizards: Cooper Flagg Looks To Bounce Back (Oct. 24, 2025)