The Dallas Mavericks are not a good basketball team. They sit at 5-12 through 17 games, and have a -5.3 net rating, which sits at 23rd in the NBA per NBA.com. But the most damming stat is their record
in clutch games, having the most clutch losses in the league with 9, with no other team having more than 6. Yet through these losses the Mavericks have found their closer.
Cooper Flagg.
In his last 6 clutch games, Flagg has averaged 6.3 points per game in the clutch, and has shot a staggering 88.9% from the field, according to NBA.com. Being able to carry a team in the most important moments of the game is something you hope your best player can accomplish, but not something you expect from an 18 year old rookie.
So, how has Flagg been so good at closing games? Let’s find out.
Using Power
When the game slows down Flagg will almost always get downhill and attempt to use his size and strength to overwhelm defenders. This first clip shows the Mavericks having Cooper come off a handoff into a pick and roll, allowing him to build up momentum. This momentum gives him plenty of power as he easily bumps Derik Queen back, and finishes the layup. This next clip shows Cooper using his strength in a pure isolation context. He uses multiple head fakes and hesitations to work his way into the lane, before putting his shoulder into Queen, and getting an and 1 opportunity. This level of strength is incredibly unique for a player of his age, as often strength is major weakness of young wings.
Post up Prowess
Cooper’s most effective offense has been when he plays out of the post. According to NBA.com, Flagg is average 1.33 points per post up, which is in the 87th percentile. This effectiveness has shown up in crunch time, as it is often the best offense the Mavs can create. This clip shows Cooper turning an isolation possession into a post up when Deni Avidija cuts off the initial driving lane. The post allows for Cooper to maximize his strengths and minimize his weakness, as it focuses his power and prevents him from having to string together dribble moves. here Cooper again uses the post as a counter move, where instead of trying to simply go through Deni, he transitions an iso into a post touch. It then allows him to generate enough separation to hit the easy baby hook shot. The ability to have a go to action this early into his career is a massive development for Cooper, as many people questioned if he had the ability to simply get a bucket whenever needed.
Playmaking
The final element of Cooper’s clutch time heroics has been his timely playmaking. What was a strength in his lone year at Duke has carried over, as Cooper seemingly always makes the right pass when the Mavericks need it. This example shows Cooper posting up the smaller Shaedon Sharpe and drawing significant attention from the defense. He then throws a lefty bullet to Max Christie in the corner, who nails the three. This type of pass from the off hand is not something you see from NBA veterans, and certainly not from 18 year old rookies. These types of plays make me so excited about his future, as being a great playmaker is a necessity to become a superstar in this league.
The Mavericks are not going to win many games this year, but when they do it will often be on the back of their 18 year old rookie.
