Cooper Flagg
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Cooper Flagg was drafted No. 1 by the Dallas Mavericks.
When the Dallas Mavericks play the Orlando Magic in Florida on Thursday, March 5, the rookie forward Cooper Flagg will be on the court for the first time in weeks.
Flagg has been recovering from a midfoot sprain. Leading up to the matchup, Flagg was upgraded to questionable. Hours before the game’s tip-off, the Mavericks officially upgraded the rookie to available. As expected, he’ll have a minutes restriction, according to the head coach, Jason Kidd.
via Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News: Cooper Flagg is officially available, Jason Kidd says, and he’ll have a minutes restriction of 20-25 minutes.
Mike Curtis
Cooper Flagg is officially available, Jason Kidd says, and he’ll have a minutes restriction of 20-25 minutes.
The last time Flagg took the court for the Mavericks was back on February 10.
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At the time, the Mavericks were in the second game of a long road trip. Against the Phoenix Suns, the rookie forward checked in for 35 minutes. He shot 8-20 from the field to score 27 points. Along with his scoring, Flagg came down with five rebounds and dished out two assists.
GettySACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 06: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks passes the ball against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on January 06, 2026 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Since then, Flagg has missed eight games in a row. The Mavericks won just two games during that stretch.
Currently, the Mavs are in the midst of a four-game losing streak. Offensively, they haven’t scored more than 90 points over the past two games. They hope to get a major boost from Flagg on Thursday night, even though he isn’t expected to play his full shift.
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This season, Flagg has appeared in 49 games, seeing the court for 34.1 minutes per game. The veteran forward has shot 48% from the field, and knocked down 30% of his threes, taking 3.5 per game.
The former Duke superstar is averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.2 steals throughout his rookie year. He is garnering attention as a Rookie of the Year favorite.
Lately, Flagg’s spot as the league’s surefire favorite has taken a hit. His absence, mixed with the consistent emergence of the Charlotte Hornets sharpshooter, Kon Knueppel, has led many major sportsbooks to give Flagg’s college teammate the edge in the race this week.
Flagg might have a hard time snatching the favorable odds right back as he returns in a limited fashion. However, if he can stay healthy over time, the No. 1 pick should be able to reclaim his spot, as he’s been having a spectacular season.
The campaign will continue on Thursday, as the Mavs and the Magic tip at 7 PM ET.