Jan. 20, 2026, 4:46 p.m. ET
Cooper Flagg returned to the court for the Dallas Mavericks after missing two games with an ankle injury.In his Madison Square Garden debut, Flagg scored 18 points with seven rebounds in a 114-97 win over the New York Knicks.Flagg stated he felt great and did not second-guess his ankle during the game despite a minutes restriction.
After missing two games with an ankle injury, Cooper Flagg returned for the Dallas Mavericks in their matchup against the New York Knicks on Monday evening in his NBA debut in Madison Square Garden.
Flagg was his usual self, scoring 18 points while grabbing seven rebounds, dishing out three assists while recording one steal in a 114-97 victory for the Mavericks.
After the win, Flagg was asked how it felt to be back on the court.
“I felt great,” Flagg said. “Coming back, obviously, was a little restricted minutes-wise, but I felt great out there, didn’t second-guess it or anything out there; strength felt great.”
The rookie and No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft finished 7-of-14 from the floor in more than 28 minutes of playing time. He is averaging 18.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.3 steals in 41 games for the Mavericks.
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