Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks are coming off a narrow 107-112 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.
The lottery-destined Mavericks dropped their 55th game of the season as another lowly year gets ready to conclude.
Flagg, 19, has been dealing with a wrist sprain after battling a few knick-knack injuries earlier in the season. The ailments haven’t stopped him from making a strong case to win the Rookie of the Year award.
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Dallas has just two games remaining this season. With not even a play-in spot in sight, the Mavericks have nothing to play for. The only thing they have going for them is watching Flagg continue to piece together a fabulous rookie season despite adversity.
The team is headed to San Antonio to play the red-hot Spurs next in what could be an even bigger opportunity for Flagg to drop a memorable performance head-to-head against Victor Wembanyama — if both players are available.
Mavs Announce Cooper Flagg’s Status for Friday’s Game
Dallas has seen no shortage of injuries this season.
It’s star point guard, Kyrie Irving, has been out all year after incurring a torn ACL last March. In a competitive year, Irving could have made his comeback by now or even a while ago, but with the Mavericks struggling to win games, the organization felt it was best to keep the former NBA champion shelved.
All eyes have been on Flagg this season. He was a lock to be the top pick in last year’s Draft and has gone on to show exactly why.
Mavericks fans are hoping their face of the franchise can play the final two games before a long offseason kicks off. For tomorrow’s game in San Antonio, Flagg is listed as probable.
Flagg’s designation is a good sign. With the 19-year-old Mavericks star still fighting neck-and-neck with Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel for the Rookie of the Year award, even these last two games could sway the final ballot.
Making a Case for ROTY
This season, Flagg has averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game on an efficient (by rookie standards) 46.7% shooting from the field.
His case for being the best rookie this season was recently bolstered after a pair of incredible scoring performances. Last week, Flagg became the first teenager in NBA history to record a 50-point game. Two nights later against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, Flagg notched over 40 points and looked every bit of what No. 23 on the opposing team looked like for Cleveland over two decades ago.
Perhaps another pair of volcanic scoring performances could deliver Flagg the coveted Rookie of the Year award. He was highly favored to win it before the season and could pay off that expectation in these final two games.
Seeing Flagg on the injury report this late in the season was a bit of a head-turner, but it appears his wrist isn’t bothersome and he’ll play against the Spurs tomorrow.
Dallas Mavericks Announce Major Cooper Flagg News Ahead of Spurs Game