MACAO — Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka said before Sunday’s rematch with the Dallas Mavericks that Cooper Flagg played with more confidence in Friday’s preseason opener. Houston won that game 135-117 at The Venetian Arena.
Flagg scored 17 of his 19 points in the second quarter Friday, going 6-of-11 from the field and 4-of-4 at the line in 10:19 of that period. He made 3 pull-up jumpers from 14 to 16 feet in a 5:18 stretch of the quarter. Flagg sat the entire second half and finished with 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists on 7-of-14 shooting in 19:02.
Ime Udoka Says Cooper Flagg Played With More Confidence
Flagg won Rookie of the Year in 2025-26 with 56 first-place votes. He averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 70 games for a Dallas team that went 26-56. The first overall pick in 2025 had 2 points on 1-of-3 shooting with 2 turnovers in the first quarter Friday before the run.
“More confidence and continued growth, which you saw last year as well throughout the season,” Udoka said. “We went under a few pick-and-rolls, and he shot without hesitation and knocked them down. So, just continued growth.”
“This is the Rookie of the Year, a guy who had a lot on his plate last year, but he’s going to come back better as a sophomore,” Udoka continued.
Sunday is expected to be the first game Flagg plays alongside Kyrie Irving, who has not played since tearing his left ACL on March 3, 2025. Mavericks coach Dusty May said before tip-off that Irving is in the lineup with no limitations other than a minutes count.
Ime Udoka Wants Rockets To Punish Double Teams On Kevin Durant, Alperen Şengün
Kevin Durant had 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting in 23:12 on Friday after asking Udoka to play the second half. Udoka said after that game that Durant would not play Sunday. Alperen Şengün had a triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in 21:47.
Reed Sheppard went 3-of-3 from 3-point range in a 1:41 span late in the third quarter Friday. Fred VanVleet, playing his first game since a torn ACL kept him out all of last season, went 5-of-12 from deep.
“It’s something we want to do and get better at,” Udoka explained. “We shoot a good percentage, just a little low in attempts. For us, it’s playing at a faster pace and taking what we have early in the shot clock, where we were really good in the past. The other thing is paint touches.”
“I feel like we have a lot of guys who can get downhill or operate in the paint, and making that extra pass or the kick-out is the emphasis going into camp,” Udoka continued. “Those two things, and being better against the double-team as well. Kevin and Alperen are two of the most heavily double-teamed players in the league, and we should be able to create some advantages out of that.”
Houston held out Clint Capela and Marcus Smart on Friday as coach’s decisions. Sunday’s game tips off at 5 a.m. CT on NBA TV, and the teams open the regular season against each other Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. CT in Houston.
