When the Dallas Mavericks pay a visit to the Orlando Magic on Thursday, March 4, the young rookie star Cooper Flagg just might get the nod to play.
According to the Mavericks’ official injury report, Flagg has been upgraded to questionable. While that still leaves the door open for a potential absence, it’s a clear step in a positive direction for the former No. 1 pick.
*UPDATE: At 3 PM ET, Cooper Flagg has been considered a game-time decision for the Mavericks on Thursday night, according to The Stein Line.
*2ND UPDATE: At 3:45 PM ET, the “expectation” is that Cooper Flagg will play against the Magic in Orlando, according to The Stein Line
The Mavericks are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 117-90 loss against the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night.
In the absence of Flagg, Brandon Williams led the Mavs in scoring with 18 points in 27 minutes. PJ Washington was right behind him with 13 points in 28 minutes.
Cooper Flagg’s Return Is In Play This Week
GettyCooper Flagg is working his way back into the Dallas Mavericks’ lineup. The former Duke superstar is questionable against the Orlando Magic on Thursday.
Last week, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd was quite confident that Flagg wouldn’t get a chance to face Kon Knueppel and the Hornets on Tuesday.
While the Mavericks upgraded the rookie on the injury report, he was still considered doubtful for the matchup.
Ahead of the game, Jason Kidd spoke on the state of Flagg.
“He’s ramping up,” said the Mavs coach. “Everything is going well. Today was to kind of get back in his routine, and hopefully, as we go on this road trip, he can get in and play a game or two.”
The Mavericks haven’t had Flagg on the court since their February 10 game against the Phoenix Suns. At the start of a long road trip, Flagg suffered a foot sprain after 35 minutes of action.
Following a 27-point showing in a loss against the Suns, Flagg was ruled out for the Mavs’ final game before the All-Star break. He missed the Rising Stars Game. When the Mavericks returned on February 20 to face the Minnesota Timberwolves, Flagg missed the action again.
Before dealing with his latest setback, the former Duke star was establishing himself as the NBA’s Rookie of the Year favorite.
More Mavericks News: NBA Announcement is Bad News for Mavs’ Cooper Flagg
In 49 games, Flagg started every matchup while seeing the court for 34.1 minutes per game. The young forward shot 48% from the field to average 20.4 points per game.
Along with his scoring, Flagg has been averaging 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
The Mavericks hoped to compete for a playoff spot while having the rookie serve a critical role throughout his first season. Playoff experience would’ve been valuable in year one. Instead, injuries and a roster shakeup have the Mavericks outside of the postseason picture.
It seems the idea of missing the playoffs doesn’t have the Mavericks looking to shut down Flagg for the year. If he’s healthy, he’ll play. It seems Kidd and the coaching staff are optimistic he’ll get the nod to play very soon.
After missing Tuesday’s outing against the Hornets, Flagg missed eight games in a row. The Mavericks will offer more clarity on his official status while out in Orlando, Florida, for a 7 PM ET tip on Thursday.
Mavericks Have New Cooper Flagg Update vs Magic