- Oct 16, 2026
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The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Dallas Mavericks 135-111 on Friday night at American Airlines Center, closing the Mavericks' preseason schedule.
Atlanta seized control early, leading 39-34 after the opening period and extending the margin to 73-54 by halftime. The Hawks built a 17-point advantage five minutes into the second quarter, while Dallas struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 1-of-10 on 3-pointers in that frame. The Mavericks entered the fourth quarter trailing 102-78, after which Dallas removed Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving from the game following a quick Hawks timeout.
Flagg led Dallas with 26 points and 12 rebounds, though he shot 8-of-20 and attempted 12 free throws. Irving connected on five 3-pointers but missed a free throw. Nickeil Alexander-Walker paced Atlanta with 25 points in 27 minutes. Sergio De Larrea hit both of his 3-point attempts in the third quarter.
The contest featured 48 fouls and 71 combined free-throw attempts, with a scheduled 7:00 p.m. start that tipped at 7:15 p.m. One observer said of Flagg, "The league should be concerned."
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).