Cooper Flagg shows versatility in ‘enjoyable’ preseason debut

FORT WORTH, Texas — No. 1 draft decide Cooper Flagg takes pleasure in his capacity to influence successful in quite a lot of methods, and that versatility was evident in his NBA preseason debut.

Flagg stuffed the field rating throughout his one half of labor within the Dallas Mavericks’ 106-89 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder at Dickies Arena on Monday evening. The 18-year-old rookie scored 10 factors and contributed 6 rebounds, 3 assists and a blocked shot in 14 minutes.

“That’s a fun brand of basketball to play when the ball’s moving around,” Flagg mentioned. “It was fun.”

All of Flagg’s factors got here throughout a two-minute, 38-second flurry within the second quarter. After grabbing a defensive rebound, Flagg went coast to coast for a contested layup for his first factors with 5:32 remaining within the quarter. He knocked down a 3-pointer because the pick-and-roll ball handler the following possession. Flagg additionally made a pair of free throws after getting fouled on a spin transfer within the paint and hit one other 3 off the dribble.

Flagg shot 3-of-6 general and 2-of-3 from 3-point vary. He didn’t commit a turnover, taking part in a clear sport whereas dealing with a few of the Mavs’ level guard obligations.

“Just taking whatever the defense gives me,” Flagg mentioned. “Just keep it simple, making the right play — pass or shot, whatever that is.”

Flagg’s most spectacular spotlight occurred 85 seconds into the sport, when he swooped in from the weak aspect to swat Isaiah Joe’s driving layup try, a cease that sparked a quick break Anthony Davis completed with a dunk on the opposite finish.

“You got to see the defensive side, you got to see the playmaking and then the scoring,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd mentioned. “He was really, really good.”

The defending champion Thunder didn’t carry any of their common starters on the back-to-back preseason journey, which included a win over the Charlotte Hornets in Charleston, South Carolina, on Sunday evening.