Dallas Mavericks guard Cooper Flagg just got upgraded to probable for Monday’s matchup against the Miami Heat, which, honestly, is wild given what went down just a few days ago. We’re talking a left shoulder sprain that had him questionable just this morning, but a strong showing at shootaround flipped that status. Seriously, the guy is ready to roll.
That Friday Night Scare Was No Joke
Remember Friday night, when Flagg went down against the Indiana Pacers? Man, that was rough. He was driving to the basket, Aaron Nesmith absolutely laid him out with a hard foul, and Flagg landed super awkwardly on his left arm. Nesmith got called for a flagrant, which, yeah, felt right. Flagg toughed it out to hit those two free throws, but then he had to head to the locker room and didn’t return for the rest of their 121-105 win. The team called it a mild shoulder sprain, but seeing him leave the game like that, you know everyone was holding their breath. Before he went out, he was putting in work, finishing with 14 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block in just 17 minutes.
From “Re-evaluation” to “Ready to Play”
Because the Mavericks were on a back-to-back, Flagg sat out Saturday’s 122-106 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The word then was that he’d be re-evaluated this week. Well, “this week” came fast, didn’t it? The fact that he’s already deemed ready for Monday after just missing one game? That’s incredible. This second-year star is already showing he’s tough as nails. And why wouldn’t Dallas want him back ASAP? The kid is averaging 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game, hitting half his threes (3 of 6) in his first two outings. He even dropped a massive 32 points in the season-opening 128-110 defeat to the Houston Rockets, becoming the youngest player in NBA history at 19 years old to score 30 or more points in a season opener. That’s serious firepower to get back on the court.
High Stakes for Both Sides on Monday
So, with Flagg likely back, the Mavericks are looking to improve their record to 2-2. That’s a huge swing early in the season, especially when you consider their opponent. The Miami Heat, on the other hand, are trying to avoid starting their season 0-4. Think about that: 0-4 would be their worst start since the 2007-08 season, a year where they lost their first five games, eight of their first 10, and finished a brutal 15-67. Trust me, Miami is desperate to avoid that kind of history repeating itself. This Monday game isn’t just another early-season matchup, it’s a statement for both teams, and having Cooper Flagg back in the mix makes it even more intense.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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