Cooper Flagg Foul Controversy: Kidd Condemns Officials After Mavericks Loss

Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd condemned the officiating after a narrow 111-107 loss to the Houston Rockets, arguing a late non-call on Cooper Flagg changed the outcome. Dallas dropped to 19-30 and

suffered a fourth straight defeat, despite another strong showing from the number one overall draft pick.

The key flashpoint came with 25 seconds remaining at Toyota Center, when Flagg attacked the rim, looking to level the game. Contact appeared as Flagg drove, but no foul came. The 19-year-old then missed a layup that would have tied the score, leaving the Mavericks chasing the contest.

Kidd did not hold back when evaluating the crew of Sean Wright, Simone Jelks and Jason Goldenberg, insisting Flagg should have been rewarded with free throws. Kidd said: "I saw a foul. [Officials] Sean [Wright], Simone [Jelks] and Jason [Goldenberg] were awful tonight," Kidd said. "The referees were unacceptable. It's a foul, and he needs to be at the free-throw line. Now, does he make both? That's up to the player, but the referees did not do their job. They were terrible. "

Kidd argued that Flagg’s physical style may be affecting how officials interpret contact, suggesting consistent whistles are still missing. Kidd said: "He's going to continue to keep going until they blow the whistle. There area lot of fouls missed with this young man. Maybe they just don't know his game yet, but that's who he is. He's going to continue to keep driving. He's not going to get discouraged. Tonight, he backed up what he did the other nighthe put his team in a position to win the game or to tie the game. "

Flagg followed a 49-point explosion against the Charlotte Hornets two days earlier with another heavy workload. The rookie finished with 34 points from 13-of-25 shooting, while hitting 7-of-10 free throws. Flagg also contributed 12 rebounds and five assists, carrying much of Dallas’ offence during a tight fourth quarter.

Player	Team	Points	Rebounds	Assists
Cooper Flagg	Dallas Mavericks	34	12	5
Kevin Durant	Houston Rockets	13	-	-

Houston, however, countered with balanced scoring rather than one dominant option. Six Rockets players reached double figures, including Kevin Durant, who produced 13 points. Durant praised Flagg’s showing despite the loss, highlighting how quickly the teenager is adapting, saying: "He's figured it out. He understands that he's tough to stop. "

The Mavericks’ official account later confirmed the final outcome, underlining another narrow defeat for a team struggling to close games.

Final. @Chime // #MFFL pic.twitter.com/k8oysPppzJDallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) February 1, 2026

The defeat leaves Dallas searching for answers at both ends, with officiating now another talking point. Kidd’s comments place added spotlight on how Cooper Flagg is refereed, after two standout scoring nights still produced consecutive losses and a deepening challenge to rescue the Mavericks’ season record.