Marshall’s season high looks like a real return—not just a hot night

What changed

Naji Marshall’s best night of the season carried more weight than the 22 points. In his third game back after missing two games with an illness, he made 9 of 12 shots, hit all three of his three-pointers, added five rebounds and three assists, and finished the one-point loss at plus-five.

Marshall tied the game at 111 with 1:41 left and stayed on the floor for Dallas’s most important possessions. Dusty May praised his decisions, competitiveness and work on the glass; Marshall said he finally felt like he was back helping his teammates.

The 2025-26 baseline matters here. Marshall averaged a career-best 15.2 points while shooting 51 percent and earned a multi-year extension, so Dallas is not asking him to become a different player. It needs the versatile scorer and defender who can steady a second unit and still close games.

Interpretation: one efficient shooting night does not prove the illness is completely behind him. What is more durable is the role signal: Marshall handled the ball, defended, rebounded and earned closing minutes. That version of him gives May another way to connect the Irving–Flagg core to the bench.