‘Learning Experience For Everybody’: Cooper Flagg Shares Takeaways From Dallas Mavericks’ Preseason Before Houston Opener

DALLAS — Cooper Flagg sees a lot of room for the Dallas Mavericks to improve after a 1-3 preseason, the second-year forward said after practice Tuesday. Dallas opens the regular season Wednesday at the Houston Rockets.

Flagg totaled 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists over 45 minutes in the two Macao games against Houston. In Friday’s 135-111 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, he had 26 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block in 30 minutes.

Cooper Flagg On The Mavericks’ Preseason

Santi Aldama and Dereck Lively II missed all four exhibition games, and coach Dusty May used a range of lineups around Flagg. Dallas’ only win came Oct. 11 in Macao.

“Obviously, I thought there was a lot of room for us to get better,” Flagg said. “Just learning experiences, trying different lineups, and seeing how guys fit. So definitely learning experience for everybody, and I think we can get a lot better.”

Houston won the first Macao game 135-117 before Dallas took the rematch 132-115. Both teams moved players in and out of the lineup across the two games.

“I mean, it’s their style, though,” Flagg explained. “Everybody on their roster, they all play the same way. They teach the same principles. So that’s how the game’s going to look, and we know what to expect.”

The Rockets went 52-30 last season with an emphasis on rebounding and ball pressure. Flagg wants Dallas to answer that from the start Wednesday.

“It’s really important, just getting guys to be really physical and locked in and set the tone early will be a big thing for us,” Flagg said.

Flagg On Atlanta’s Physicality And Kyrie Irving

Atlanta was physical with Dallas in the preseason finale and scored 135 points. Flagg plans to use Dallas’ own physicality against teams that play that way.

“I think just around our own physicality, just matching the level and going out there and using the physicality against them,” Flagg said.

Kyrie Irving played two preseason games, his first action since tearing his left ACL on March 3, 2025. He and Flagg shared the floor in both.

“I mean, it’s new. So just figuring out the ways we can play off each other, use each other, create advantages for each other,” Flagg explained. “And obviously it’s going to be a little bit of a learning experience. But it’s fun to play with a guy like that and use his gravity.”

Flagg shot 29.5% from 3-point range as a rookie. He spent the offseason working toward being comfortable with the shots defenses give him.

“Just repetition, confidence, being more and more comfortable and taking what the defense gives me,” Flagg said.

Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 70 games last season and won Rookie of the Year. Tip-off at Toyota Center is set for 7:30 p.m. CT, and Dallas lists Aldama, Lively, Tarik Biberović, and Caleb Martin as out.