Jason Kidd reveals Anthony Davis’ influence on Cooper Flagg

DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat will face off on Wednesday night in Dallas. before the game Jason Kidd found out how Anthony Davis influences Cooper Flagg while on the floor.

“You’re going to have to put your best defender on somebody, most of the time it’s AD,” Kidd told reporters. “So he (Flagg) gets a secondary defender. For him, it’s his ability to get to the paint, but also being able to play AD. He doesn’t have to do everything like he did here at the beginning where we ask him to guard and point and defend and do everything he’s not afraid to do, but now he has some help.”

Davis returned to the starting lineup after previously missing time with a lower leg injury. When healthy, AD is still the best player on the team. Flagg is only 18 years old and Kyrie Irving likely won’t return until early 2026 while recovering from ACL surgery.

Flagg has been a player that opponents have been preparing for especially carefully over the last few weeks since Davis has been out with an injury. Now that Davis is back on the floor, the 18-year-old will get a secondary defender that could lead to an increase in his scoring.

The warmth Erik Spoelstra Mavericks star fan

Warm-up coach Erik Spoelstra was asked about and Davis and Flagg before Wednesday’s Heat-Mavericks contest, and it’s safe to say he’s a fan of both players’ games.

“I met him (Davis) with USA Basketball and I love him,” Spoelstra told reporters. “I just think he’s about the right things, making an impact, he’s a Hall of Fame talent. … He plays the right way on both ends of the court. This team, despite their record, has been in a lot of really tough games, especially here in Dallas.”

As for Flagg, Spoelstra can’t “get it” what the 18-year-old is already achieving in the NBA.

“He (Flagg) has a lot of maturity about him. He’s not even 19 years old,” Spoelstra said. “I just can’t get it. . . . If I were 18 years old in his shoes, I would be chasing data and not playing the right way. He just has a great competitive spirit, plays the right way, competes to win. That’s an extremely difficult thing to teach young players.”

The Mavs and Heat will play at 8:30 PM EST in Dallas on Wednesday night.