Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg discussed his performance following Saturday’s 121-114 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. “Yeah, I think a lot of [the turnovers] was self-inflicted, but you got to give them credit as well for speeding us up and making us uncomfortable,” Flagg said regarding the team’s 18 turnovers.
Flagg acknowledged the challenge of facing Tyrese Maxey. “He makes it tough on a lot of defenses…he’s really quick, explosive, and gets to his spots. You have to track him all over the court,” he said. Maxey finished with 38 points, including seven in the decisive fourth quarter.
When asked about shot quality, Flagg felt the team had opportunities. “Honestly, I didn’t think we got terrible looks…shots didn’t fall, but we’ve got to find ways when shots aren’t falling to still come out with these wins,” he said.
Flagg described playing in Philadelphia for the first time. “It was good…good energy, good environment. They’ve got great fans,” he said. The rookie added that he was focused on the next game rather than birthday celebrations, noting the team’s upcoming matchup in New Orleans.
On competing with VJ Edgecombe, Flagg commented, “We both played a solid game…he was aggressive, got to his spots, rose up. I knew what to expect coming in. He’s a high-level player and competitor every night.”
Reflecting on areas for improvement, Flagg emphasized ball security. “Taking care of the ball for sure…18 turnovers is way too many. We’ve got to clean that up and continue executing our game plan,” he said.
Flagg also shared impressions of fellow rookie Hansen Yang, drafted by Portland. “I don’t know him personally too much, but from film, he seems like a big body with good touch and feel for the game. Good luck to him, and I hope he stays healthy and keeps getting better,” Flagg said.
The Mavericks were led by 24 points from both Flagg and Anthony Davis, who also grabbed 14 rebounds despite playing through illness. Dallas shot just 3-of-18 from three-point range, limiting their late-game comeback efforts.
Dallas fell to 11-18, with Flagg turning 19 on Sunday. The team will aim to bounce back Monday in New Orleans, while Philadelphia improves to 16-11, maintaining momentum without Joel Embiid and Paul George.
