Nets’ inept offense no match for Cooper Flagg, Mavericks in fourth straight loss

The Nets on Monday were unable to overcome Cooper Flagg — or their own bricklaying.

In dropping their fourth straight game, the Nets fell 113-105 to Dallas before 18,632 at American Airlines Center in a game that had lottery implications and was a stark reminder of just how important that lottery can be.

Michael Porter Jr. returned after being rested the night earlier, pouring in a game-high 28 points on 6-of-10 from deep and nine rebounds. But no other Net mustered more than 14 in an offensively inept performance, shooting 9-of-37 from 3-point range.

Meanwhile, Flagg — whom the Mavericks drafted first overall after winning last year’s lottery — had 27 points, five assists and five rebounds. The Nets constantly doubled him, but the rookie made them pay over and over.

The Nets were down by just 96-93 but got outscored 17-12 down the stretch against a Mavericks team that played without Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II.

The Nets (11-26) are fifth in the lottery standings, 1 ½ games behind Washington. They’re now two games ahead of Utah and Charlotte, and moved 2 ½ clear of the Mavericks after the defeat.

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Day’Ron Sharpe (14 points, 12 rebounds) took advantage of Dallas being shorthanded inside. He already had a double-double in the first half at 10:27 minutes played, the fastest in the league this season and quickest by a Net since Andre Drummond on April 10, 2022 (10 minutes, 14 seconds).

Unfortunately for the Nets, Sharpe’s teammates didn’t immediately follow his lead. They started 1-of-16 from deep, and look tentative.

Egor Dëmin (left plantar fascia), Cam Thomas (left hamstring) and Ziaire Williams (illness) were all out for Brooklyn.

The Nets allowed eight unanswered points to fall behind 20-11 on a Flagg layup.

They were still hanging around, down 43-30 when they finally broke through and hit back-to-back 3-pointers to pull within seven.

The problem is they never found a way to stop Flagg without doubling; and when they sent a second defender, the rookie made them pay with his quick reads.

Flagg hit a tough one-legged bucket that Dirk Nowitzki would’ve been proud of, and blocked Terance Mann on the ensuing Nets’ possession. The Nets saw the rookie pour in 12 points in the last 7 ½ minutes of the first half.

Trailing 63-49, the Nets tried to respond with nine unanswered points. A Porter midrange jumper capped the run and cut the deficit to five.

The Nets repeatedly clawed within three, the last time at 93-90 after rookie Nolan Traore found Noah Clowney for a layup with 6:35 to play.

It was 105-100 after a Claxton bucket, but Flagg — in the top 10 in the league in clutch scoring — took over in a 7-2 run. First there was a steal and beating the Nets downcourt for a transition dunk, and then a 3-pointer to make it 112-102 with 1:32 left.