Cooper Flagg’s return already made headlines for the Mavericks. His next challenge could make Friday night even bigger.
Ahead of Dallas’ March 6 game against the Celtics at TD Garden, Flagg spoke about the chance to face Jayson Tatum for the first time in the NBA — and made it clear what the moment would mean.
Tatum was upgraded to questionable for Boston after recovering from the Achilles injury he suffered in last year’s playoffs, setting up the possibility of a marquee matchup between one of the league’s established stars and one of its most talked-about rookies.
Flagg told reporters that Tatum is “one of the guys I grew up watching” and someone he “kind of modeled” his game after.
He also referenced watching Tatum at Duke, adding that he has “always looked up to” him and is excited for the opportunity to compete against him. For a player still in his first NBA season, it is the kind of quote that instantly adds more intrigue to an already notable interconference game.
There is also a strong homecoming angle to this one. Flagg, a Maine native, said he is expecting plenty of support from back home when he takes the floor in Boston for the first time as an NBA player.
Flagg called it the only arena he had really been to growing up, which only adds to the sense that Friday’s game could feel bigger than a typical regular-season stop for the No. 1 pick.
Maine native Cooper Flagg on playing at TD Garden in Boston for the first time:
“I’m excited. I know there’s going to be a lot of people showing up from Maine & showing support. I’m really excited just to be up there for the first time & play in that arena. It’s the only arena I… pic.twitter.com/lMG6hGvXqR
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) March 6, 2026
On the court, Flagg is coming off an encouraging return from a sprained left foot. He scored 18 points with six assists, five rebounds and four blocks in Thursday’s narrow loss to Orlando after missing eight games. Reuters also noted that Flagg entered Friday averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists this season, a reminder that he has already delivered plenty of production in year one.
If Tatum is cleared, Friday’s matchup offers more than just star power. It gives fans a look at a rookie measuring himself against a player he studied for years. For Flagg, that is the kind of test young stars dream about.
For everyone else, it is the type of storyline that makes Mavericks vs. Celtics worth watching.