The Dallas Mavericks’ night went from bad to worse on Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets, and it started with Cooper Flagg heading to the locker room.
The 19-year-old rookie suffered a left ankle injury midway through the second quarter after appearing to tweak it on a play near the basket. Flagg was clearly uncomfortable as he limped off the floor with members of the medical staff. Although he later returned to the bench, he never re-entered the game.
Not long after, the Mavericks officially ruled the No. 1 overall pick out for the remainder of the contest with a left ankle sprain.
Dallas went on to fall to Denver 118-109, dropping its third game in the last four outings and sinking to 15-26 on the season.
Before exiting, Flagg logged just 15 minutes of action. He finished with six points on 3-of-9 shooting, along with one rebound, one assist and one block. The former Duke standout was unable to find a rhythm before the injury cut his night short.
Jason Kidd Shares Cooper Flagg Injury Update
After the game, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd shed more light on the situation, and his comments raised some concern. According to Kidd, the injury appears to be connected to an ankle issue Flagg dealt with earlier in the week.
“He stepped on someone’s foot, and so, I think last game he twisted his ankle too,” Kidd said, according to Mavericks reporter Ron Harrod Jr. “So, they decided to hold him for the second half.”
Flagg had also tweaked the same ankle during Monday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets but managed to return and play through it. Wednesday’s setback, however, was enough for the team to shut him down entirely.
The timing is less than ideal for Dallas, which is set to host the Utah Jazz on Thursday in the second night of a back-to-back at American Airlines Center. Kidd admitted he is unsure whether Flagg will be able to suit up for that matchup.
Adding to the Mavericks’ injury concerns, center Daniel Gafford also exited Wednesday’s game in the third quarter with a right ankle sprain and did not return. His availability against Utah remains uncertain as well.
With multiple key players dealing with injuries, Dallas’ short-term outlook suddenly looks far more complicated.
