Cooper Flagg Had Mature Response To Being Benched In Mavs’ Loss To Thunder

Cooper Flagg's rookie play pinch nan Mavericks has gotten disconnected to a somewhat shaky start. The No. 1 prime successful nan 2025 draught struggled successful his debut, scoring only 10 points connected 13 shots arsenic Dallas coach Jason Kidd experiments pinch Flagg playing constituent guard. He recovered his footing complete nan adjacent 2 games and broached nan 20-point people for nan first clip against nan Raptors. But Monday brought a changeable of bad luck.

Playing against nan defending champion Thunder, Flagg suffered a enarthrosis wounded successful nan first 4th that intelligibly hindered him passim nan remainder of nan contest. He toughed it retired to enactment connected nan tribunal but nan rookie vanished pinch only 2 points connected 1-for-9 shooting successful 31 minutes. Notably, Kidd chose to chair Flagg for nan last minutes of what coiled up a constrictive 101-94 loss. An understandable determination successful ray of nan wounded but undoubtedly a overseas emotion for Flagg fixed he's been viewed arsenic 1 of nan champion NBA prospects ever for nan past 3 aliases truthful years.

Speaking to nan media astir it afterwards, Flagg recognized that he wasn't utilized to watching from nan sideline successful crunch clip but offered a mature consequence to nan benching.

"The measurement nan crippled was going, we had a group retired location that was doing really good and was connected a run, truthful I spot wherever Coach was astatine pinch that," Flagg told reporters, via ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "And I mean, I was flat. I wasn't myself. I wasn't impacting nan crippled astatine a precocious level, wasn't doing nan correct stuff. So obviously, that's an easy determination for Coach. He was conscionable retired location trying to triumph nan game."

Flagg is 20 years aged and in nan early days of his NBA career yet responded for illustration a seasoned to nan decision. The Mavs must beryllium pleased.

Kidd echoed Flagg's thoughts connected why he was sidelined to extremity nan crippled while praising his toughness for fighting done nan enarthrosis issue.

"It wasn't his nighttime tonight," Kidd said. "We're a team, and truthful understand that nan group that was retired location put america successful nan position to triumph nan game. He wasn't connected nan floor, but he was cheering for his teammates."

It each lines up. If thing Flagg's statline reflects his struggles that evening but moreover fans could show nan young guardant wasn't correct erstwhile he was connected nan level aft getting hurt. Dallas has to emotion his team-forward response.

Flagg's readiness is to beryllium wished for nan Mavs' adjacent matchup against nan Pacers connected Wednesday night.

While it wasn't evident to commencement Flagg's wounded became evident arsenic Monday night's crippled went on. During his chair stints nan rookie had to deterioration a immense wrap connected his shoulder. MacMahon reported it looked for illustration Flagg took a changeable connected nan very first possession of nan game, which if existent meant he was playing astatine little than 100% nan full night. It goes a agelong measurement towards explaining his sadistic shooting numbers.

Speaking connected nan business afterwards Flagg downplayed nan wounded and discussed imaginable curen options.

"We're going to astir apt get immoderate scans aliases whatever, make judge everything's each clean, but I consciousness for illustration it's conscionable a small sore," he said. "Just want to support an oculus connected it, crystal it, do immoderate rehab and should beryllium bully to go."

He besides downplayed nan impact it had connected his play.

"I deliberation it was fine," said Flagg. "I deliberation successful general, 1 of nan biggest differences from assemblage to this level is handling & preparing for a back-to-back for illustration that, physically. That was thing I was going done coming anyway, conscionable being a small flat. A small banged up, but you gotta find ways to play done it to beryllium successful."

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