No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg calls Mavs debut ‘not great’
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Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg labeled his first NBA appearance “not great” after the top overall pick recorded 10 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday night’s 125-92 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Center.
The 18-year-old forward, installed as Dallas’ starting point guard for the first time in his career, missed a lob dunk on the game’s opening possession and went scoreless before halftime. He finished 4-for-13 from the field with three turnovers and no assists while posting a game-worst minus-29 in 32 minutes.
“Obviously, didn’t play incredibly well, but we’ve got to move past it,” Flagg said as the Mavericks turned their attention to Friday’s meeting with the Washington Wizards.
San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 selection in the 2023 draft, powered the Spurs with 40 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks. Reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle added 22 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals while shadowing Flagg defensively. Second overall pick Dylan Harper supplied 15 points off the bench.
Anthony Davis led Dallas with 22 points on 7-of-22 shooting. The 10-time All-Star attributed Flagg’s struggles to opening-night jitters, noting the national-television stage and pre-game buildup surrounding the matchup with Wembanyama.
Head coach Jason Kidd, who also logged a double-double in his own Mavericks debut as a rookie, said the box score did not fully reflect Flagg’s effort. “As a rookie, he did fine and he’s going to learn from this game,” Kidd said.
According to ESPN Research, Dallas managed just eight points on the 19 possessions Flagg initiated. The Mavericks are experimenting with a supersized lineup in which Flagg shares ball-handling duties with forwards P.J. Washington and Davis, while guard Klay Thompson, at 6-foot-6, is the team’s shortest starter.
Intent on being more aggressive after intermission, Flagg attempted 11 of his 13 shots in the third quarter, but San Antonio still outscored Dallas 33-21 during the period.
Despite the lopsided result, Flagg became only the fifth player in franchise history to post a double-double in his first NBA game. “I’m excited to keep going,” he said. “It hurts, the first loss being like that, but I’m looking forward to the next one.”
Source: ESPN
