DALLAS — Cooper Flagg’s first experience with an NBA back-to-back was a painful one.
The No. 1 draft pick by the Dallas Mavericks barely got through the opening seconds of the second game Monday night before hurting his left shoulder. Flagg held the shoulder multiple times during the first half, used a heat wrap on it while on the bench during the second half and struggled through a 1-for-9 shooting night for two points, missing all three of his 3-pointers.
Flagg played 31 minutes but was watching from the bench during most of the Mavericks’ late rally, as they cut a 22-point, second-half deficit against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder to one point in the final minute but lost 101-94.
“Just being a little flat, a little banged up. I’ve got to find ways to play through it,” Flagg said while seated at his locker with an ice pack on the shoulder. He said the shoulder will be scanned Tuesday and he expects to play in Dallas’ next game, Wednesday at home against Indiana.
The six-foot-nine guard from Duke said he doesn’t know how he got hurt, just that it was in the game’s opening minute when he was trying to box out and felt something move.
“Just a little contact. Can’t remember if a guy like, grabbed,” Flagg said. “It was somebody’s arm. I just like felt something in my shoulder, a little pain after.”
Flagg shot 1 for 6 in the first half, scoring on a layup midway through the second period.
“He played through it,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “He’s a tough kid.”
Watching down the stretch was unusual for Flagg after he was on the floor in crunch time last season as the national player of the year in his one season with the Blue Devils.
“I mean, the way the game was going, we had a group there that was doing really well,” Flagg said. “I see where Coach was at with that. I was flat. I wasn’t myself. I wasn’t having an impact on the game at a high level. Wasn’t doing the right stuff.”
The two-point night left Flagg averaging 13 points four games into his pro career, with a high of 22 in Sunday night’s home win over Toronto.
Dallas’ next back-to-back will be Nov. 7-8 at Memphis and Washington.
“It is different, but I’ve got to figure it out,” Flagg said. “I’m not too worried about it.”
