The Dallas Mavericks watched Cooper Flagg grab his ankle in agony, ultimately exiting against the Denver Nuggets. Daniel Gafford followed him in quick fashion with his own similar ailment.
Gafford endured a right ankle sprain, per Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. He joins Flagg in not returning for the rest of the night. Although the first overall pick from June Flagg injured the opposite ankle of Gafford.
Mavs rookie star Cooper Flagg has a left ankle sprain and will not return tonight against Denver.
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) January 15, 2026
The center Gafford settled for just six points in 18 minutes. He managed to pull down 10 rebounds before his NBA injury.
Mavericks struggled against Nuggets
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) grabs his ankle as he falls to the floor during the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the American Airlines Center.
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Flagg settled for 15 minutes on the floor inside American Airlines Arena.
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But he left scoring just six points. Flagg also dished out one assist and swatted one shot attempt.
Gafford, meanwhile, got the scoring going early by hitting a layup at the 10:36 mark. A Brandon Williams free throw made it 10-7 in favor of Dallas. Klay Thompson later banked a 24-foot three to make it 13-10.
But that basket became the last time Dallas led in the first quarter. Jamal Murray of the Nuggets tacked on seven points to help close out the opening quarter and place Denver ahead 29-23.
Denver then led by as many as 18 during the second quarter and eventually took a 63-46 lead into halftime. Murray sliced through the defense for another layup during the third, which made it 81-59. Tim Hardaway Jr. handed the Nuggets their biggest lead through making a 24-foot three, putting Denver up 84-61 late in the third.
Dallas kept chipping away, though, by cutting the lead to eight with under 1:40 left in the fourth.