You ever look at a box score and feel like you're reading a fever dream? That’s basically been the vibe for anyone following the mavs last 5 games. We are sitting in mid-January 2026, and the Dallas Mavericks are currently a walking contradiction. They’ve gone 3-2 over this recent stretch, which sounds "fine" on paper, but the way they got there is honestly kind of bizarre.
They just finished a back-to-back mini-series against the Utah Jazz, sweeping both games at the American Airlines Center. On Saturday night, January 17, they dismantled Utah 138-120. Two days before that? A 144-122 blowout. If you only watched those two games, you’d think this team was a juggernaut. But then you look at the game against Denver on Wednesday, or that ugly loss in Chicago, and the reality of a 17-26 record starts to sink in.
The Utah Sweep: Klay Thompson and the "Next Man Up" Chaos
Let’s talk about Saturday. No Cooper Flagg. No Anthony Davis. No Kyrie Irving. No P.J. Washington.
Basically, the Mavs were playing with a roster that looked like a Summer League squad plus a legendary sniper. Klay Thompson stepped up in a way that felt like a vintage 2017 flashback. He dropped 23 points in just the first half, hitting his 17,000th career point on a turnaround jumper that had the AAC buzzing. He finished 6-of-11 from deep. It was a masterclass in professional scoring when the primary stars are in street clothes.
But it wasn't just Klay. Brandon Williams and Max Christie—guys who usually live on the fringes of the rotation—both chipped in 22 points.
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When you look at the mavs last 5 games, the story isn't just about who played, but who didn't. Rookie sensation Cooper Flagg has been sidelined with a left ankle sprain, missing the last two contests. It’s the first time we’ve seen him miss time in his debut season, and frankly, the Mavs offense looks completely different without his secondary playmaking and defensive gravity.
Breaking Down the Results
If we pull back the curtain on the last week and a half, the trajectory is all over the place:
- Jan 17 vs. Utah: W, 138-120. Total dominance without the Big Three.
- Jan 15 vs. Utah: W, 144-122. An absolute offensive explosion where everything went in.
- Jan 14 vs. Denver: L, 109-118. A reality check against a disciplined Nuggets squad.
- Jan 12 vs. Brooklyn: W, 113-105. Cooper Flagg led the way with 27 points before the ankle tweak.
- Jan 10 at Chicago: L, 107-125. A defensive collapse that felt like the "old" Mavs from early November.
Why the Denver Loss Still Stings
Even though they've won three of four, the loss to the Nuggets on January 14 exposed the ceiling of this current group. Denver came into Dallas and basically toyed with the Mavericks' interior defense. Without Anthony Davis in the lineup to anchor the paint, the Mavs are giving up a staggering number of points at the rim.
The advanced stats for the mavs last 5 games show a Defensive Rating that fluctuates wildly. Against Utah, they looked active. Against Chicago and Denver? They looked like they were running in sand.
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Currently, Dallas ranks 10th in the league in Defensive Rating (113.8), but that's a bit of a "fake" stat because their Offensive Rating is stuck at 27th. They are winning games by hoping the three-ball falls at a historic rate—like it did against Utah—rather than through sustainable, grit-and-grind basketball.
The Luka Factor (Or Lack Thereof)
It feels weird to write a Mavs update without mentioning a 40-point Luka triple-double, doesn't it? Well, that's because the narrative has shifted toward the supporting cast and the injury report. While Luka is still the engine, the mavs last 5 games have highlighted a desperate need for consistent health from Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis.
Kyrie's knee has been "cranky," as the beat reporters like to say. When he’s out, the pressure on Jaden Hardy and Brandon Williams to create shots becomes immense. Hardy has been starting recently, averaging nearly 14 points over his last three starts, but he’s still prone to those "young player" turnovers that drive Jason Kidd crazy.
Key Stats From This Stretch
- Bench Scoring: The Mavs' reserves are currently outscoring their season average by 12 points over the last three games.
- Three-Point Volume: Dallas is taking 42.5 threes per game in this window, up from their season average of 38.2.
- The Flagg Effect: When Cooper Flagg is on the court, the Mavs' Net Rating is +4.2. When he’s off? It plummets to -6.8.
What Most Fans Are Getting Wrong
People look at the 17-26 record and assume the season is a wash. I get it. It’s frustrating. But if you look closely at the mavs last 5 games, you see a team that is finally developing some "depth" out of sheer necessity. Max Christie has been a revelation over the last nine contests, averaging 15.1 points and showing that he can be more than just a "3-and-D" body.
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The problem isn't talent; it's cohesion. The Mavs have used four different starting lineups in the last week. That makes it nearly impossible to build defensive chemistry. When you’re switching everything with Moussa Cisse and Naji Marshall, you need to know where your help is coming from. Right now, they’re still guessing half the time.
Where Do We Go From Here?
The schedule doesn't get any easier. The Mavericks are heading to New York on Monday, January 19, to face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Then it’s a gauntlet: Golden State, the Lakers, and Milwaukee.
If the mavs last 5 games taught us anything, it’s that this team lives and dies by the health of their "injury-prone" stars. If Cooper Flagg and Kyrie don't return for the Knicks game, the Mavs will have to rely on Klay Thompson to turn back the clock once again.
Actionable Takeaways for Mavs Fans
- Watch the Injury Report: The status of Flagg's ankle is the single most important factor for the next week. If he's out, expect the offense to remain "Klay-centric."
- Monitor Jaden Hardy's Minutes: With the starters out, Hardy is in a "prove it" window. If he can't cut down the turnovers, his spot in the rotation will vanish once the stars return.
- Keep an Eye on the West Standings: Dallas is 12th in the West, but only a few games out of the Play-In conversation. Every win against teams like Utah is a lifeline.
The season isn't over, but the margin for error is basically zero. The Mavericks have shown they can beat the bad teams even while shorthanded. Now they have to prove they can hang with the elite without falling apart.
To stay ahead of the curve on the Mavs' progress, track the team's defensive rotation specifically in the first quarter of the Knicks game. If they can hold New York under 25 points in the opening frame, it's a sign that Jason Kidd's defensive adjustments are actually sticking, regardless of who is on the floor. Otherwise, expect another high-scoring shootout where Dallas has to pray for a 50% night from the three-point line to stay competitive.