Cooper Flagg Wasn't Impressed With His Performance In Nba Debut Vs. Spurs

Cooper Flagg's highly anticipated NBA debut astir sewage disconnected to a thunderous start. Just seconds into nan game, nan Mavericks were disconnected to nan races disconnected of an Anthony Davis steal, pinch Flagg and nan prima large man starring nan charge. Davis tossed up an alley-oop for Flagg, who couldn't rather propulsion it down for what would person been an awesome slam.

Little did Flagg cognize that that was nan closest he'd travel to scoring his first profession NBA points successful a scoreless first half successful what amounted to a quiet debut for nan Duke product. Flagg didn't registry his first handbasket until nan 2nd half, a mid-range jumper pinch 11:42 remaining successful nan 3rd quarter. His quiet debut was not unheard of fixed nan hype and nationally televised standard of his first game. Flagg managed to grounds a double-double pinch 10 points and 10 rebounds, but changeable conscionable 3-for-14 from nan section successful 32 minutes.

The capacity near moreover Flagg unimpressed.

"Not great," Flagg said of his NBA debut, according to nan squad website. "Obviously, I didn’t play incredibly well. But you sewage to move past it and effort to attraction connected Friday [against Washington]."

In Flagg's defense, it wasn't precisely a banner nighttime for nan Mavericks arsenic a whole. Dallas changeable conscionable 37.3 percent from nan field, committed 16 turnovers and had nary answers for prima Spurs large man Victor Wembanyama, who erupted for a game-high 40 points and 15 rebounds.

Flagg's coach Jason Kidd seemed to for illustration that nan rookie wasn't trying to do excessively much.

"I thought Cooper played wrong himself," Kidd said. “He took what nan defense gave him. was making plays and diving connected nan floor. He’s 1 that’s not going to spell retired location and sprout each clip he touches it. He tries to play nan crippled nan correct way.

"And I thought he came retired successful nan 3rd and tried to beryllium aggressive. I thought he played well. The stat statement is not going to opportunity that, but cipher successful this room is sitting successful his shoes. As a rookie, he did fine. He’s going to study from this game. We each will. And we’ll beryllium amended adjacent clip we return nan floor."

Davis, meanwhile, offered an important position successful his mentation of why Flagg will "be fine": It was virtually nan first crippled of his career, people."

"It’s crippled one. He’s still a rookie," Davis said. "When crippled 1 comes around, packed stadium and nationalist TV game—everything [on societal media] was No. 1 prime Cooper Flagg and Wemby matchup. So you’re proceeding it. First-game jitters erstwhile it’s clip for nan existent thing. He’ll beryllium fine. It’s Game one. We’re each going to beryllium better."

Flagg is looking guardant to his adjacent opportunity connected nan tribunal connected Friday against nan Wizards.

"I was excited, but I’m excited to support going," Flagg said. "Obviously it hurts, nan first nonaccomplishment being for illustration that, but effort to look guardant to nan adjacent one, move nan page and get ready. We cognize we sewage a batch amended [performances] than that. So enactment affirmative and fastener successful connected nan adjacent one. It’s basketball.

"It’s not ever going to spell your way. It’s not ever going to beryllium perfect. But you sewage to set and beryllium amended connected nan fly."

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