The decisive moment arrived late in the fourth quarter when Cooper Flagg drained a 24-foot three-pointer to give the Dallas Mavericks a 111-110 lead, a cushion the Miami Heat never reclaimed.
That shot capped a dominant performance by Flagg, who finished with 29 points and 11 assists to secure the 113-109 victory for the visiting Mavericks over the host Heat at Kaseya Center on Monday, October 26, 2026.
Early Momentum Shifts
The game featured a back-and-forth start, with Miami taking a 27-23 lead after the first quarter. The Heat relied heavily on Giannis Antetokounmpo early on, who provided energy and scoring alongside Davion Mitchell. However, Dallas responded in the second quarter, with Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving driving the offense to close the half with a 53-52 lead.
The second quarter saw a flurry of three-pointers from both sides, including key shots from Bobby Portis and Dru Smith for Miami, and P.J. Washington and Walter Clayton Jr. for Dallas.
Antetokounmpo's Effort
Giannis Antetokounmpo was a force for Miami, finishing with a game-high 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. His playmaking was crucial in the third quarter, where he recorded multiple dunks and three-pointers to keep the Heat competitive. The Heat managed to take a 87-81 lead late in the third quarter, fueled by Antetokounmpo's scoring and Pelle Larsson's free-throw shooting.
