The Boston Celtics' demolition of the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night drew a lot of attention, largely because superstar forward Jayson Tatum made his season debut 10 months after suffering a torn Achilles tendon. However, this game was also important for Mavericks' rookie Cooper Flagg, as it was the first time the Maine native took the court at TD Garden.
Flagg grew up a Celtics fan, with TD Garden being the only stadium he got to go to watch NBA games when he was younger. As a result, he had a group of friends and family in the crowd supporting him for this contest. When Dallas was introduced for this game, every player was booed except for Flagg, who received cheers from the Boston faithful. After the game, Flagg was appreciative of the support for the C's fanbase.
“It meant a lot," Flagg said when speaking to reporters. "I tried to take a moment, take a deep breath, and take it all in. That’s a dream come true, just being out there on that court, competing and playing at a high level. It’s really special.”
One of the most hyped basketball prospects to ever emerge from the northeast, Flagg was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. In his first season, Flagg has looked more than capable of becoming a future star of the league, as he's averaged 20.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game through his first 51 contests.
Given his ties to the region, some folks have wondered whether Flagg could find his way to the Celtics at some point down the line, but that's not even something that is on his radar for the time being. Boston will look to win its second straight game on Sunday afternoon when it squares off against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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