Cooper Flagg highlighted Dallas’ defensive intensity as a key factor in their 130-120 win over Cleveland. “I thought we had a much better presence on that side of the ball and kind of stood them up a little bit,” he said, noting the team played with improved pace and energy.
The top overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft credited ball movement for creating opportunities. “The ball was moving, everybody was getting touches, and it was a much more fun way to play basketball,” Flagg explained, referencing the Mavericks’ 35 assists in the game.
Flagg described his own recovery and rhythm on the court. “Every day I’m feeling better and better…just getting back into a rhythm. I’m glad to be back out there, fighting with the guys night in, night out,” he said.
He praised P.J. Washington’s role at center in the game plan. “PJ is such a versatile guy…so strong…helped us with our coverages and just flying around the court,” Flagg said, adding that Marvin Bagley III and Dwight Powell also contributed to creating mismatches and attacking Cleveland’s bigs effectively.
The guard emphasized the importance of transition opportunities. “I love when we’re in transition…we can get out and get easy ones. That’s the way we want to play,” he noted, connecting fast breaks to team confidence and efficiency.
Flagg also highlighted the Mavericks’ support for rookies like John Poulakidas. “I told him, you just got to go out there and play, be confident in your shot, and take the shots when they’re open…he did a great job of just being aggressive and finding his looks,” Flagg said.
Discussing his own shot-making, Flagg credited preparation with his staff. “Being comfortable with the ball in my hands is something I’ve worked on a lot…creating space and finding my shot,” he said, explaining how he capitalized on defensive spacing.
Flagg also shared insights on offensive execution and mismatches. “We’ve worked a lot on finding mismatches…size, pick-and-rolls…being fluent and playing fast was to our advantage,” he said.
On the defensive side, Flagg stressed physicality as the foundation of improvement. “We did a much better job forcing guys into the screens and being in our gaps…everything comes down to physicality,” he said.
He credited his development to long-term coaching and family guidance. “My parents were huge…my trainer, Matt, has been with me since fourth or fifth grade…sends me film and helps me pick out moments in the game where I can be better,” Flagg said.
Dallas snapped a seven-game losing streak against Cleveland, led by Flagg’s 27 points, Naji Marshall’s 25, and P.J. Washington’s 20 points and 11 rebounds. The Mavericks travel to New Orleans on Monday, while the Cavaliers visit Milwaukee on Tuesday.
