A painful evening for Cooper Flagg

His match started with a grimace. In the very first possession played by the Thunder, Cooper Flagg injured his left shoulder. The Mavs rookie tackled Isaiah Hartenstein, after which he appeared injured, holding the injured spot.

Continued from his night against the reigning champion he wasn’t much happier. Not knowing to what extent this injury has disrupted him, the first pick of the last draft experienced the most complicated match of his very young career. In 31 minutes, he collected only 2 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists, and above all he suffered from terrible clumsiness: 1/9 on shots, including 0/3 from distance.

The result: As his team prepared to pull off a near-victory comeback, Jason Kidd preferred to do without his young talent in the final quarter. ” It wasn’t his night. We are a team, we have to understand that the group on the field put us in a position to win the match. He wasn’t on the court, but he cheered on his teammates », the coach notespraising his fortitude.

Released eight minutes into the game, Cooper Flagg will be brought back to the floor in the final moments to play a few defensive possessions. The rookie, who had his first back-to-back after scoring 22 points against the Raptors, admits being on the bench in crucial moments is a situation he’s never experienced before. But he assures that he had no problem with his coach’s decision.

Attending the next game?

« Considering how the match played out, we had a group on the field that played very well and were on the road, so I understand the coach’s choice. And then I was flat. I wasn’t myself. I wasn’t influencing the game at a high level, I wasn’t doing things right. So obviously it’s an easy decision for the coach. He wanted to win the match », summarizes the 18-year-old player.

Forced to wear a heat bandage on his left shoulder for the evening, Cooper Flagg then received treatment and iced it after the game, saying he remains optimistic he will attend Wednesday’s home game against the Pacers.

« We’ll probably do some tests or something to make sure everything’s okay, but I think it’s just a little painful. I want to keep an eye on it, put some ice on it, do a little rehab, and it should be fine », he concludes, quite optimistic about his recovery.