Cooper Flagg Ruled Out For Rest Of Dallas Mavericks’ Game At Indiana Pacers With Left Shoulder Soreness
INDIANAPOLIS — The Dallas Mavericks ruled Cooper Flagg out for the rest of Friday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers with left shoulder soreness. Flagg went to the locker room in the final minute of the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith fouled him from behind on a breakaway. He was not on the floor when the third quarter began.
Before he left, Flagg had 14 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block in 17 minutes. Dallas took a 77-43 lead into halftime after making 10 of its 19 three-point attempts. The Mavericks had 8 steals in the half and committed 6 turnovers to Indiana’s 13.
Aaron Nesmith Assessed Flagrant Foul 1 On Cooper Flagg Breakaway
With 59.7 seconds left in the second quarter, Flagg stole the ball from Pascal Siakam and went up for a dunk in transition. Nesmith hit him from behind while he was in the air. Flagg landed on his left shoulder along the baseline and stayed down for an extended period.
Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington ran up from half-court to confront Nesmith, and Marshall shoved him. Officials reviewed the play and upgraded the call to a flagrant foul 1. Nesmith and Marshall were each assessed a technical foul.
Flagg had the shoulder looked at before he went to the line. He shot the free throws and then walked back to the locker room holding it. Nesmith was playing his first game of the season after missing Indiana’s opener Wednesday.
Flagg has drawn a flagrant foul in each of Dallas’ first two games. Kevin Durant was assessed a flagrant foul 1 on him with 11:37 left in Wednesday’s 128-110 season-opening loss to the Houston Rockets, and Flagg made 2 of the 3 free throws.
Flagg Hurt The Same Left Shoulder Early In His Rookie Season
Last season, Flagg hurt the same shoulder on the opening possession of an Oct. 27, 2025, loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the second game of his first NBA back-to-back. He shot 1-of-9 for 2 points that night. Two days later against Indiana, he had 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists in a 107-105 win.
The 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 70 games. A left midfoot sprain kept him out for eight games. He left the season finale in the second quarter with a left ankle sprain.
In Wednesday’s opener, Flagg scored 32 points on 10-of-17 shooting. That was the most points by a teenager in a season opener in NBA history.
Dallas plays the second night of a back-to-back Saturday, when it hosts the San Antonio Spurs in its home opener. San Antonio is Dallas’ home-opening opponent for the third straight season. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT at American Airlines Center.
