DALLAS — Cooper Flagg usually has the answers. On Monday night at American Airlines Center, the Minnesota Timberwolves made him work for every one of them.
The rookie finished with 12 points on 5-of-19 shooting in a 124-94 loss. It was a grind from the jump. While the box score wasn’t what he’s used to, the talk in the locker room focused more on the education than the misses.
For the Dallas Mavericks, the night was a learning experience for a rookie who has mostly made the first-year transition easy, averaging 20.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals in 63 games.
A Physical Blueprint Against Cooper Flagg
Minnesota came in with a plan. Before tip-off, Chris Finch admitted the staff had circled the forward on the scouting report.
“He’s a hell of a player and still trying to make a push down the stretch,” Finch said. “The thing that’s been most impressive all season is his motor. His size, physicality, and energy are all elite.”
The defense played him tight. They crowded him on screens and made sure he felt a body every time he touched the ball. Brandon Williams saw how the veteran squad went to work.
“They’re extra physical,” Williams said. “They blew up every screen. They talk, they trust one another, and like I said earlier, they’re a playoff team. It showed out there.”
The rookie missed his first four shots. With 6-foot-9, 249-pound Julius Randle gearing up to get into the ball and stay attached to Flagg as the primary defender, the constant pressure took away Flagg’s comfort zone early. Anytime Flagg was off-ball about to come off a stagger into a handoff, he was denied. Minnesota did just about anything possible to make it challenging for him to get to his spots, while being anchored by an elite rim protector in Rudy Gobert.
Jason Kidd noted that the intensity was basically a sign of respect for the young star’s growth.
“They were physical with Coop, understanding they’re getting ready for the playoffs,” Kidd said. “In the first half, they were really physical with him on the screens and stuff.”
Brandon Williams Tries To Spark A Rhythm
As the frustration built in the second quarter, teammates started looking for ways to get the rookie going. Williams, who finished with 15 points and 7 assists, gave up an easy bucket of his own just to try and spark a teammate.
He had an open lane for a layup, but the guard went between his legs and threw an alley-oop to Flagg instead.
“Just wanted to get him going any type of way,” Williams said. “I know he was kind of struggling… I need him going. Just give him an easy look.”
The dunk seemed to loosen things up. Dallas outplayed the opponent for a stretch before the half, but the lesson was just starting.
The Game Within The Game
Daniel Gafford scored 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting in his return from injury. He’s spent the season mentoring the rookie, and he didn’t see the rough shooting night as a problem. He saw it as a preview.
“I feel like it helps him understand how physical it gets around postseason play,” Gafford said of Flagg. “Every night you’re going to have the best defender on you, teams trying to get into your airspace and make everything tough.”
For Gafford, these are the reps that matter.
“It helps because now you know the things you can do—the terminology you can use with bigs or teammates to get guys off of you. It’s the game within the game,” Gafford said.
Finch agreed, noting that the rookie’s trajectory hasn’t changed.
“As he continues to polish his game, he’s going to be an elite player,” he said. “He’s really embraced the physicality of the league.”
A Night That Will Matter Later
Despite having a tough shooting night, Flagg still impacted the game in other ways, while still making highlights like totaling two blocks and a pair of transition dunks. Teams have become increasingly aggressive in dialing in on Flagg since the All-Star break.
The way he handled a playoff-style defense that was determined to make things difficult. He’s going to see this coverage many times. The Mavericks are just glad he’s getting a look at it now.
“With the type of player Coop is,” Gafford said, “it’s only going to help him in the long run.”
