10 video games to look at: Cooper Flagg’s sophomore NBA season

Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg is nice at exceeding expectations.

The high prospect from the 2024 highschool class, and arguably the best participant ever from his house state of Maine, Flagg arrived at Duke with sky-high potential. And he delivered, within the stat sheet and the win column, as he received National College Player of the Year and helped lead Duke to the ACC title and a Final Four run.

The expectations continued to develop after the Mavs chosen Flagg with the No. 1 total choose within the 2025 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-9 ahead delivered once more with regular, season-long dominance, averaging 21 factors, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists and profitable Kia NBA Rookie of the Year. 

If the previous predicts the long run, then Flagg is poised for a must-see sophomore NBA season with new coach Dusty May on the helm of Dallas, Kyrie Irving again from damage, and No. 9 total choose Morez Johnson Jr. within the frontcourt. 

Here are 10 key video games to circle on the calendar for Flagg in the course of the 2026-27 season.

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1. Season debut vs. Rockets & KD

The motion ideas off for Flagg and the Mavericks with a matchup towards Kevin Durant and the in-state rival Houston Rockets. Flagg averaged 18.8 factors, 7.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 4 video games final season towards Durant, who praised Flagg and predicted he will probably be “considered one of the best of all-time.”

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2. Home opener vs. Spurs & Wemby

After the season debut in Houston, the Mavericks host their house opener towards one other Texas rival – the San Antonio Spurs. Flagg faces off towards the 2023 No. 1 total choose Victor Wembanyama, who tallied 31.1 factors, 12.5 rebounds and a couple of.8 blocks in 4 wins towards Flagg final season. Flagg averaged 22.3 factors, 6.5 rebounds and three.3 assists within the losses, and can look to safe his first win towards Wemby within the house opener. 

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3. National TV conflict towards OKC

The two-time reigning MVP storms into Dallas throughout Week 2 because the Thunder face off towards the Mavericks in Flagg’s first nationwide TV recreation of the season. Last season, on Oct. 27, Flagg posted his lowest-scoring recreation of the season towards OKC with 2 factors in 31 minutes. Almost precisely one 12 months later, Flagg hopes to flip the script towards SGA and OKC below the nationwide TV highlight. 

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4. Emirates NBA Cup Group Play begins

Flagg and the Mavs tip off the Emirates NBA Cup with one other early-season matchup towards Durant and the Rockets. The Mavs are searching for a stronger displaying within the NBA Cup in 2026 after posting a 1-3 report throughout Group Play final season. This Group Play matchup would be the second of 4 video games between the division rivals in 2026-27.

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5. No. 1 picks battle in San Antonio

Every Flagg vs. Wemby matchup needs to be circled in your calendar. This Week 3 matchup would be the second conflict of the season between the previous No. 1 picks. They meet once more on Feb. 9 in Dallas (8 ET, NBC/Peacock) and March 19 in San Antonio (8 ET, NBA League Pass).

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6. Return to the Northeast

Flagg, whose hometown of Newport, Maine, is about 3 hours away from Boston, grew up a Celtics fan and he can have the prospect to shine on the parquet court docket in November. Last season in Boston, Flagg scored 16 factors with eight rebounds and 6 assists in a 20-point loss. This recreation may also be a return to Boston for Kyrie Irving. 

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7. Flagg at Madison Square Garden

What’s an even bigger problem than going through the defending champs? Facing them below the highlight of Madison Square Garden. Flagg tallied 18 factors, seven rebounds and three assists for a win in New York final season. This would be the first matchup between the Mavs and Knicks, with the second conflict scheduled for Thurs., March 4 (9:30 ET, Prime Video).

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8. Duke homecoming in Charlotte

A return to North Carolina isn’t only a Duke homecoming for Flagg. It’s additionally the prospect for him to conflict towards his former Duke teammate (and roommate) Kon Knueppel, who completed second behind Flagg within the 2025-26 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year chase. This matchup in Charlotte would be the second time the sophomore standouts face off in the course of the 2026-27 season. The first matchup will happen in Dallas on Jan. 19 (8 ET, NBC/Peacock).

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9. The King visits on Presidents’ Day

Flagg and the Mavs will host LeBron James and the star-studded Sixers for a noon matchup in the course of the first-ever Presidents’ Day quadrupleheader. When LeBron entered the league in 2003, Flagg was nonetheless three years away from being born. Last season, Flagg made first impression on the NBA’s all-time main scorer, with LeBron saying, “I love what he’s doing. I love what he’s bringing to this franchise.”

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10. No. 1 picks battle in Dallas

Flagg will face off towards one other younger star on March 11 when the Mavericks battle 2026 No. 1 total choose AJ Dybantsa and the Wizards. This would be the first matchup between Flagg and Dybantsa, who had been each ranked No. 1 of their highschool lessons. In addition to Dybantsa, Flagg may also have the prospect to go up towards Anthony Davis and Deandre Ayton, the No. 1 picks in 2012 and 2018.