The Dallas Mavericks earned their first win (121-105) of the 2026-27 season Friday night, defeating the Indiana Pacers on the road. However, the victory didn't come without a price, as former No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg suffered a shoulder injury.
Flagg, who appeared to have a clear path to the basket, was chased down by Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith and fouled hard from behind, injuring his shoulder in the process. A scuffle ensued afterward, resulting in multiple technical fouls. Nesmith's foul was later upgraded to a flagrant foul.
Prior to the injury, Flagg had tallied 14 points on 4-for-6 shooting to go along with six assists, five rebounds, three steals and one block. He did not return to the court following the injury. Flagg's
teammate, another former No. 1 overall pick from Duke, Kyrie Irving, had a solid night, finishing with 24 points, three assists, one rebound, one steal and one block.
Looking ahead, Flagg is likely to miss Saturday's game against the San Antonio Spurs, as his head coach, Dusty May, revealed that last year's Rookie of the Year Award winner would be "evaluated in a couple days."
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This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Duke's Cooper Flagg suffers injury in Dallas Mavericks' win
