DALLAS (AP) — Ryan Nembhard broke Dallas coach Jason Kidd's club rookie record with 23 assists after No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg's debut season ended with an ankle injury, and the Mavericks beat the Chicago Bulls 149-128 in a season finale Sunday night.
John Poulakidas scored 28 points to lead the Mavericks in a meeting of also-rans that more closely resembled a summer league game. Moussa Cisse had 17 points and 20 rebounds, which tied Roy Tarpley's rookie club record from 1986-87.
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Dallas Mavericks' Moussa Cisse, center top, dunks over Chicago Bulls center Lachlan Olbrich during an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Albert Pena)
Chicago Bulls' Rob Dillingham drives against Dallas Mavericks' AJ Johnson during an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Albert Pena)
Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg brings the ball up court during an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Albert Pena)
Dallas Mavericks' Ryan Nembhard drives against Chicago Bulls' Lachlan Olbrich during an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Albert Pena)
Flagg scored 10 points in 10 minutes before exiting with a sprained left ankle in the second quarter. The 19-year-old Rookie of the Year contender finished the season averaging 21.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 70 games.
Rob Dillingham scored 25 points for the Bulls, who head into an uncertain offseason looking for a new head of basketball operations and a decision on the future of coach Billy Donovan. CEO Michael Reinsdorf has said he wants Donovan to return.
Chicago (31-51) was already locked into the ninth-worst record going into the lottery. Dallas (26-56) started the day tied with Memphis for the sixth-worst record and ended it even with New Orleans for the seventh-worst mark. The Pelicans won the season series with the Mavericks.
Tyler Smith and AJ Johnson scored 20 points apiece for Dallas as both teams had eight players in double figures, including all nine who came off the bench.
Nembhard, who scored 15 points, set a franchise record for assists in a regulation game and fell two shy of Kidd's club mark of 25 in a two-overtime game in February 1996. Kidd's rookie record was 17 in 1994-95.
The Mavericks led 45-34 after their highest-scoring quarter of the season in the first and 80-56 following their most prolific half of the season.
Dwight Powell made the 12th start of what could be the last of 11-plus seasons with the Mavericks, finishing with seven points and 12 rebounds. The 34-year-old Canadian was a rookie when he was part of the trade that brought Rajon Rondo to Dallas from Boston during the 2014-15 season.
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Dallas Mavericks' Moussa Cisse, center top, dunks over Chicago Bulls center Lachlan Olbrich during an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Albert Pena)
Chicago Bulls' Rob Dillingham drives against Dallas Mavericks' AJ Johnson during an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Albert Pena)
Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg brings the ball up court during an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Albert Pena)
Dallas Mavericks' Ryan Nembhard drives against Chicago Bulls' Lachlan Olbrich during an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Albert Pena)
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic exited after playing the first half of the Denver Nuggets' 128-118 victory against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night, making an appearance in his 65th game to qualify for NBA awards.
Jokic had 23 points, eight rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot while playing 18 minutes, 15 seconds in the first half of Denver's regular-season finale.
“I think he embraced it because how hard those guys were playing with him,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “There is a respect value there when he sees guys playing for opportunities. A guy like him who has done everything in this game, I think he respects that. I heard the ‘overrated’ (chant by Spurs fans). I don’t know about the overrated thing. He was on pace for 46 and 16, but anyway, it seemed like he had a good time out there.”
The NBA requires players to participate in 65 games to be eligible for MVP, All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year honors. The NBA allows two exemptions of 15 to 19:59 minutes played to count as an official game. Jokic had one exemption remaining.
Jokic was listed as questionable with an injured right wrist, but entered the finale having played in 64 games.
Jokic did not speak to reporters after the game, exiting the locker room after grabbing his belongings.
Denver secured the No. 3 seed and will host Minnesota at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Nuggets set a franchise record with their 26th road victory and did so while executing their game plan for Jokic.
“Yeah, he’ll play the first half,” Adelman said before tipoff. “Then we’ll reconvene at halftime and see where he’s at, where the game’s at. It’s what the rules provide. So we’ll follow the rules.”
Jokic, who won MVP in 2021, 2022 and 2024, has been named to the All-NBA Team in seven of his 11 seasons.
Spurs All-Star Victor Wembanyama sat out after reaching eligibility in his previous game.
Wembanyama qualified for award eligibility by playing in his 65th game Friday, in San Antonio's 139-120 victory over Dallas.
Wembanyama competed in 64 regular-season games in addition to the NBA Cup Final, which does not count toward regular-season record or statistics, but does qualify as a game played.
Wembanyama suffered a left rib contusion and missed the second half of Monday's 115-102 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers. He returned Friday to post 40 points and 13 rebounds in 26:13 minutes against Dallas.
He was listed as questionable due to injury management and was ruled out after the Spurs' afternoon walkthrough.
“Yeah, he’s doing well, but just a little sore and felt it was the appropriate decision,” San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said. “He was probably, to be honest, the closest call of the group, but just right in that kind of in between.”
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San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) dunks against Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell shoots against Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic, left, Tyus Jones (5) and Jalen Pickett, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) passes as he is guarded by San Antonio Spurs center Mason Plumlee during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić, left, looks to pass the ball as Memphis Grizzlies forward Toby Okani defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić pulls in a loose ball in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
