Flagg exits with shoulder injury after flagrant foul in Mavericks' 121-105 win

Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg left Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers with a left shoulder injury after being fouled hard by Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith during a transition play late in the second quarter. With 59.7 seconds remaining in the half and Dallas holding a 33-point lead, Nesmith was called for a flagrant-1 foul while contesting Flagg's breakaway dunk attempt. Flagg made his two free throws before exiting, and the incident sparked a brief altercation when teammate Naji Marshall confronted Nesmith; both players received technical fouls.

The Mavericks completed their dominant performance without Flagg in the second half, securing a 121-105 victory. Kyrie Irving led Dallas with 24 points, including 5 of 10 from three-point range. P.J. Washington contributed 20 points and 13 rebounds, while Max Christie added 16 and Naji Marshall had 15. Dallas built commanding leads throughout, reaching 42-23 after the first quarter and 77-43 at halftime before extending the advantage further with a 15-0 run in the second quarter.

Flagg, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, finished with 14 points, six assists, five rebounds, three steals and a block in 17 minutes. Head coach Dusty May stated he holds no ill will toward Nesmith but expressed hope that such an incident would not recur. "Nesmith's a great guy. Heck of a player. I've known him since he was in high school," May told reporters. "Obviously, an unfortunate play. Hopefully Coop's fine, but obviously it's something we wish wouldn't have happened."

The victory marked Dallas' first win under new coach Dusty May, who grew up in Indiana. For the Pacers, the loss spoiled what was billed as Tyrese Haliburton's home return—his first game in Indianapolis since tearing his right Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals 490 days prior. Haliburton, who received a standing ovation during introductions, finished with 18 points. Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 23 points, while Andrew Nembhard added 16 and Obi Toppin contributed 13.

May indicated that Flagg would be evaluated over the following days, suggesting he may miss the Mavericks' Saturday home opener against San Antonio. Marshall, when asked about the nature of the play, said: "Just standing up for my teammate. I hang with him every day, so it just made sense." When asked if Nesmith's action constituted a dirty play, Marshall responded: "It was what it was. Just part of the game."