{"id":565898,"date":"2026-01-28T08:45:28","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T08:45:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/565898\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T08:45:28","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T08:45:28","slug":"cooper-flagg-faces-uncertain-injury-status-before-dallas-mavericks-host-minnesota-timberwolves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/565898\/","title":{"rendered":"Cooper Flagg Faces Uncertain Injury Status Before Dallas Mavericks Host Minnesota Timberwolves"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Dallas Mavericks listed Cooper Flagg<\/a> as questionable for Wednesday\u2019s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the team continues to manage a left ankle issue rather than forcing a return.<\/p>\n

Flagg had been listed doubtful for Sunday\u2019s scheduled game in Milwaukee, but the Mavericks never took the floor after travel complications prevented them from reaching the city, prompting the NBA to postpone the matchup against the Bucks. The unexpected break provided additional recovery time, though not enough certainty for Dallas to fully clear Flagg ahead of the next game.<\/p>\n

Following Tuesday\u2019s practice at American Airlines Center, head coach Jason Kidd<\/a> offered a brief update.<\/p>\n

\u201cFlagg participated in some of the stuff,\u201d Kidd said.<\/p>\n

Cooper Flagg\u2019s Workload Remains Controlled<\/p>\n

Flagg took part in portions of practice but did not complete a full workload. He stayed on the floor afterward to get additional stationary shots up, signaling progress without pushing into game-speed demands.<\/p>\n

Most players who appeared on the Mavericks\u2019 lengthy injury report for Sunday\u2019s postponed game have since returned to full participation. Flagg remains the lone rotation player still being handled with restraint, underscoring the team\u2019s intent to be methodical rather than reactive.<\/p>\n

The shift from doubtful to questionable is incremental, but meaningful. Dallas\u2019 injury report has otherwise stabilized after ballooning during a back-to-back stretch, leaving Flagg\u2019s status as the primary variable as the team prepares for Minnesota.<\/p>\n

Through 43 games this season, Flagg has been one of Dallas\u2019 most heavily leaned-on players, averaging 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 33.8 minutes per game. He has started every appearance, shooting 47.3% from the field while consistently drawing top defensive assignments.<\/p>\n

That workload helps frame the Mavericks\u2019 approach. Flagg has logged at least 30 minutes in 36 games and has already recorded six double-doubles, often functioning as a connective piece within lineups that have shifted due to injuries elsewhere on the roster. The decision to manage his ankle reflects both his usage and his importance.<\/p>\n

Rising Stars Recognition for Cooper Flagg<\/p>\n

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his availability, Flagg spoke with reporters after practice about being named to the Rising Stars Challenge rookie pool for the event during 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it means a lot. I feel blessed,\u201d Flagg said. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of an outcome of all the work I\u2019ve put in. Obviously, the way the season started and how things have gone, we wish some things would\u2019ve gone better, but everything happens for a reason. I feel really blessed and honored.\u201d<\/p>\n

Flagg also acknowledged how meaningful it would be to share that stage with familiar faces from earlier in his career.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be really cool,\u201d he said. \u201cThose are guys I played with, and just having that experience again would be special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Travel Disruptions Shape the Dallas Mavericks\u2019 Week<\/p>\n

Dallas\u2019 schedule took an unusual turn after Saturday\u2019s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, when the team attempted to fly to Milwaukee late that night. Multiple attempts continued into Sunday afternoon before officials determined conditions were unsafe, leading the league to postpone the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was tough,\u201d Flagg said. \u201cObviously, being stuck like that wasn\u2019t great.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kidd emphasized that safety and recovery guided the decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe looked at the rest and put safety first,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cThe league postponed the game, so we did not travel to Milwaukee. We stayed here, and now we\u2019re focused on Minnesota and Charlotte.\u201d<\/p>\n

Preparing for the Minnesota Timberwolves<\/p>\n

The Mavericks enter Wednesday coming off a 116-110 loss to the Lakers, a game in which Luka Don\u010di\u0107<\/a> scored 33 points with 11 assists as Los Angeles erased a 15-point deficit late. LeBron James<\/a> delivered 11 fourth-quarter points, while Max Christie<\/a> led Dallas with 24 points and Naji Marshall<\/a> added 21 points and 11 rebounds.<\/p>\n

Dallas had pushed its lead to 15 in the second half before the Lakers\u2019 late surge snapped the Mavericks\u2019 four-game winning streak.<\/p>\n

Whether Flagg is cleared or not, Kidd is clear about the challenge ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look at Anthony Edwards<\/a>\u2014he\u2019s one of the best players in the world,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cHe causes problems from the three-point line and getting to the rim. Our defense will be tested against the Minnesota Timberwolves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Flagg\u2019s final status is expected to be determined closer to tipoff, with Dallas continuing to favor measured progress over urgency.<\/p>\n

Latest Dallas Mavericks News & NBA Rumors:<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Dallas Mavericks listed Cooper Flagg as questionable for Wednesday\u2019s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the team…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":565899,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3793],"tags":[7,225,686,149,4057,3716,166,152,6,8889,3101],"class_list":{"0":"post-565898","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-dallas-mavericks","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-cooper-flagg","10":"tag-dallas","11":"tag-dallas-mavericks","12":"tag-dallasmavericks","13":"tag-jason-kidd","14":"tag-mavericks","15":"tag-minnesota-timberwolves","16":"tag-nba","17":"tag-nba-injury-report","18":"tag-nba-news"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/115971851923758217","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/565898","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=565898"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/565898\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/565899"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=565898"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=565898"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=565898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}