Cooper Flagg: Kyrie Irving ‘has been there a lot for me mentally’ in trying rookie season – The Athletic
DALLAS — With a chance to earn their first home win in nearly two months, the Dallas Mavericks put the ball in Cooper Flagg’s hands. Coach Jason Kidd drew up a play for his rookie forward to try to break a tie against the LA Clippers at the end of the fourth quarter.
Flagg’s 20-foot pull-up from the right side of the floor went long, which sent the game into overtime.
While Flagg had another strong all-around night Saturday — tallying 18 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and four blocks — the Mavericks couldn’t keep up with the Clippers in the extra period and lost 138-131. It was the Mavericks’ 11th straight defeat at American Airlines Center. Dallas hasn’t endured a home losing streak this long in more than 32 years, the 1993-94 season.
“The players are competing,” Kidd said. “We just run into teams that have been better. For us to come out and execute and compete, it shows guys are playing late in the season. Especially knowing we aren’t going to be in the Play-In or the playoffs. Guys are competing at a high level.”
Flagg, in particular, hasn’t let the lack of stakes affect his effort level. One example of the 19-year-old’s intensity came at the 3:26 mark in the fourth quarter, when Flagg threw an errant pass that was picked off. Frustrated with his mistake, Flagg ran back on defense and spiked Kawhi Leonard’s layup attempt off the backboard.
Saturday marked Flagg’s fifth game of the season with at least three blocks. His willingness to play both ends of the floor was a big reason why, from the start of his high school career in Maine to his one-and-done college season at Duke, his teams lost a combined eight games. In the NBA, Flagg has lost more than that in March alone. The Mavericks are 2-10 this month and 4-22 in their past 26 games.
“Just leaned on my teammates,” Flagg said. “The guys in the locker room who have long careers and been in this league for a long time. They’ve helped keep me sane throughout this whole process for sure.”
Kyrie Irving is one of the veterans who has offered support. Like Flagg, Irving was a teenager when he was selected No. 1 overall, also out of Duke. Becoming the face of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise at such a young age was a difficult adjustment. The Cavaliers went 21-45 in Irving’s rookie season. These Mavericks — at 23-48 — have a similar record with three weeks remaining in the regular season.
“Kyrie has been someone who has been there for me a lot mentally,” Flagg said. “He went through a lot of the same things I’m going through. I’m trying to learn as much as I can from him and understand his perspective.”
With Irving still recovering from the torn left ACL he suffered a little more than one year ago, Flagg has had to take on an enormous workload. The Mavericks have asked him to be a scorer and table-setter. Flagg once again served as Dallas’ de facto starting point guard Saturday. He was two assists shy of recording his first career triple-double.
“He’s done a really good job of making the right play,” Kidd said. “Tonight, it was no different.”
Earlier in the season, Flagg appeared visibly frustrated that the Mavericks kept coming up short in close games. After missing a potential go-ahead shot against the New Orleans Pelicans on Nov. 6, which dropped Dallas to 2-6, Flagg admitted, “For me, it’s the most I’ve lost since, I think, ever.”
As the end of his rookie season approaches, Flagg has been forced to learn that for many high lottery picks, losing is an unfortunate reality at the beginning of their careers.
The Mavericks only have five home games remaining. Flagg is hopeful he can give an American Airlines Center crowd that hasn’t witnessed a win in person since Jan. 22 something to cheer about.
“The fans are still showing up for us,” Flagg said. “Obviously, we haven’t been great and haven’t given them a whole lot to show up for every single night. We haven’t given them the wins. I’ve still loved the support they’ve given me, given the team. We just have to do a better job of giving them things to be happy for.”
