Editor’s note: This first appeared on the Open Floor newsletter, a free, twice weekly newsletter from Sports Illustrated ’s Chris Mannix. Subscribe now.

Greetings from Los Angeles, where I took advantage of a Dallas Mavericks two-game trip to dive into the state of Mavs in the post–Nico Harrison era . Dallas has looked pretty good since Anthony Davis returned to the lineup last week . Cooper Flagg continues to look like the star most expected him to be, while the Mavericks could be a point guard away from turning things around. And it just so happens they have a pretty good one working his way back.

Pod alert: Rachel Nichols returns for a deep dive on the Clippers, who are struggling mightily right now . Last weekend was a disastrous one for L.A., with back-to-back losses

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