Dallas Mavericks in China! The Stable's Mid-Preseason Review - EP002

TB and LB unpack the first two preseason games against Houston and break down what the numbers actually mean beyond the scoreboards. They get into Cooper Flagg’s two-way impact, his growing confidence as a shooter, and why his motor is already changing the way Dallas wants to play. They also look at Zaccharie Risacher’s feel for the game, his cutting and rim-running, and how his role could define the team’s ceiling.You’ll also hear why Kyrie’s return after 500-plus days off might unlock an entirely different version of the offense. TB and LB dig into his post game, transition threes, and the ripple effect that happens when defenses collapse on him. From there, they examine PJ Washington’s value as a long, versatile defender, Sergio’s rising playmaking and turnover concerns, and why players like Christie, Naji, Tarik Biberovich, and Santi Aldama could decide the rotation battle. We break down the bigger picture too: the three-point volume jump, the importance of rim-running and pace, and why this roster looks built to punish teams that sleep on them. If Dallas keeps buying into the same culture on both ends, 40 wins suddenly doesn’t sound like a stretch. By the end, you’ll know which lineups are worth watching, who’s rising, who still has work to do, and why this team might be more dangerous than the league expects. 0:20 – Intro and recap of the two preseason games 3:02 – Cooper Flagg's play and growth 5:53 – Risacher's turnaround in the second halves 8:52 – Kyrie's return after 500 days 11:29 – Kyrie and Cooper together, and the team's running culture 14:40 – PJ Washington alongside Cooper 17:33 – Sergio's playmaking and turnovers 20:09 – Three-point shooting (Tariq, Naji) 24:49 – Sergio vs. Naji, Gafford's three, the Luca comparison 26:40 – Win-total predictions (40+ wins) 28:35 – Christie off the bench and Sergio running the second unit 31:12 – The Cooper–Kyrie duo and injury worries 34:13 – The Mavericks' arena move 37:55 – The next games and which lineups they want to see 44:31 – Dusty May's rotations and the bigs 47:01 – Growing pains and the three-point shooting plan 49:41 – Cooper's second-year outlook 51:48 – MVP talk and Cooper's leadership 55:38 – Pelicans scouting (Zion, Derik Queen) 58:25 – Hawks preview and sign-off