{"id":617260,"date":"2026-02-22T06:53:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T06:53:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/617260\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T06:53:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T06:53:35","slug":"cooper-flagg-still-out-as-dallas-mavericks-navigate-injuries-against-indiana-pacers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/617260\/","title":{"rendered":"Cooper Flagg Still Out As Dallas Mavericks Navigate Injuries Against Indiana Pacers"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Dallas Mavericks<\/a> will be without Cooper Flagg<\/a> for Sunday\u2019s matchup against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as the rookie forward continues to recover from a left midfoot sprain.<\/p>\n

Flagg has appeared in 49 games this season and leads Dallas in scoring at 20.4 points per game, while averaging 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.2 steals on 48.2% shooting. He enters Sunday with 999 total points on the season.<\/p>\n

In addition to Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving<\/a> (left knee surgery) and Dereck Lively II<\/a> (right foot surgery) remain out for the season. Max Christie<\/a> (left ankle sprain) and Daniel Gafford<\/a> (right ankle injury management) are listed as questionable. Caleb Martin<\/a> (left ankle sprain) is probable. Two-way guard Miles Kelly<\/a> is trending toward availability, while Moussa Ciss\u00e9 and Ryan Nembhard<\/a> are doubtful.<\/p>\n

Head coach Jason Kidd<\/a> reiterated the team\u2019s approach amid ongoing absences.<\/p>\n

\u201cNext man up. That\u2019s the best answer,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of injuries. We\u2019ve seen this before. Cooper\u2019s been out before and will be out again for a bit. It\u2019s another chance for someone in a Mavs uniform to step up until he\u2019s back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dallas enters Sunday with a 19-36 record and is seeking to halt a 10-game losing streak.<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks Offensive Adjustments Without Cooper Flagg<\/p>\n

Cooper Flagg\u2019s absence removes the Mavericks\u2019 primary downhill scorer and most consistent source of paint pressure. In his 49 appearances, Flagg has accounted for a significant share of the team\u2019s scoring output and frequently initiates offense in both early-clock and late-clock situations.<\/p>\n

Without Flagg, Dallas has shifted toward a more committee-based scoring approach, emphasizing ball movement and perimeter spacing rather than singular shot creation. During Friday\u2019s 122-111 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a>, the Mavericks recorded just seven assists in the first half, highlighting how offensive rhythm can stall without a central initiator.<\/p>\n

When Flagg is unavailable, half-court possessions rely more heavily on secondary actions and perimeter efficiency. Early shot quality and transition pace become critical to offset the absence of his rim pressure.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were slow there in that first half,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cMake or miss, getting the ball out, throwing the ball ahead, the trust \u2014 things that we\u2019ve done here before the break.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks Rotation Changes as Cooper Flagg Recovers<\/p>\n

Naji Marshall<\/a>\u2019s role has expanded in Cooper Flagg\u2019s absence. Averaging 15.1 points on 52.6% shooting this season, Marshall logged 33 minutes against Minnesota and finished with 15 points, five rebounds and three assists. His ability to attack gaps and initiate from the wing has become a primary method of generating paint touches.<\/p>\n

P.J. Washington<\/a>\u2019s involvement has also increased without Flagg drawing defensive attention. Washington is averaging 14.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game and recorded 12 points and 12 rebounds in 36 minutes Friday. His face-up opportunities and interior touches become more central when the offense lacks its primary scorer.<\/p>\n

Perimeter production remains closely tied to Klay Thompson<\/a>\u2019s efficiency. Thompson enters Sunday averaging 11.6 points and nearly three made three-pointers per game on 37.4% shooting from deep. Without Flagg collapsing the defense, early perimeter shot-making becomes essential to maintain spacing.<\/p>\n

Brandon Williams<\/a> has provided additional creation, posting 13 points and four assists in 18 minutes against Minnesota. On the season, he is averaging 12.7 points and 3.7 assists in 21.9 minutes per game. His ability to penetrate and finish offers an alternative avenue for paint scoring in Flagg\u2019s absence.<\/p>\n

Christie\u2019s availability remains significant after spraining his ankle during practice in Minnesota. He is averaging 13.3 points while shooting 42.6% from three-point range. His spacing and secondary playmaking help stabilize lineups when Cooper Flagg is unavailable.<\/p>\n

Collectively, Dallas must manufacture efficiency through shared production rather than singular scoring bursts. Friday\u2019s 41-of-97 (42.3%) shooting performance and eight made three-pointers illustrate the narrower margin without Flagg\u2019s consistent offensive gravity.<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks Integrating New Additions During Cooper Flagg\u2019s Absence<\/p>\n

Sunday\u2019s contest also continues the evaluation process following a recent nine-player, three-team trade involving Washington and Charlotte.<\/p>\n

In the transaction, Dallas acquired Khris Middleton<\/a>, AJ Johnson<\/a>, and Marvin Bagley III<\/a> from Washington, along with Tyus Jones<\/a> from Charlotte. The Mavericks also received a 2026 first-round pick (via Oklahoma City), a 2030 first-round pick (via Golden State), and three future second-round selections.<\/p>\n

Bagley recorded 15 points and 13 rebounds against Minnesota and is averaging 11.8 points and 9.3 rebounds in four games with Dallas, including 4.8 offensive rebounds per contest. His interior presence provides second-chance opportunities that are increasingly important while Cooper Flagg remains sidelined.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely tough, but we\u2019ve been here before,\u201d Bagley said. \u201cWe\u2019re pros. A lot of teams run the same stuff \u2014 it\u2019s just a matter of learning the terminology. It\u2019ll come if we stay with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Middleton led Dallas with 18 points Friday and is averaging 13.0 points in his first three appearances. His half-court shot creation and late-clock experience provide stability during this adjustment period.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still communication \u2014 pretty much constantly throughout the game,\u201d Middleton said. \u201cJust trying to figure out where to be, where to go, where guys want it, things of that nature. We got a couple practices in over the All-Star break, but it\u2019s still not training camp. It\u2019s still not enough time to fully get to know one another. We\u2019re just trying to figure it out on the fly as best we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones added 13 points and six assists without a turnover Friday and is averaging 5.5 points and 4.8 assists in four games. His ball security and tempo management are central to maintaining offensive structure as the Mavericks adjust without Flagg.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is on the fly,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cWe\u2019re learning about Bags, Middleton, and Tyus in real time. We don\u2019t have much practice time right now, so it\u2019s about helping each other as we go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. CST at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.<\/p>\n

Latest Dallas Mavericks News & Trade Rumors<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Dallas Mavericks will be without Cooper Flagg for Sunday\u2019s matchup against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":565962,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3793],"tags":[7,225,686,149,4057,1264,126,3716,2039,967,6338,166,5989,6,3101,9410,6279],"class_list":{"0":"post-617260","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-dereck-lively-ii","14":"tag-indiana-pacers","15":"tag-jason-kidd","16":"tag-khris-middleton","17":"tag-kyrie-irving","18":"tag-marvin-bagley-iii","19":"tag-mavericks","20":"tag-naji-marshall","21":"tag-nba","22":"tag-nba-news","23":"tag-p-j-washington","24":"tag-tyus-jones"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116112969265994450","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/617260","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=617260"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/617260\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/565962"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=617260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=617260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=617260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}