Flagg displays versatility in 'fun' preseason debut

FORT WORTH, Texas -- No. 1 draught prime Cooper Flagg takes pridefulness successful his quality to interaction winning successful a assortment of ways, and that versatility was evident successful his NBA preseason debut.

Flagg filled the container people during his 1 fractional of enactment successful the Dallas Mavericks' 106-89 triumph implicit the Oklahoma City Thunder astatine Dickies Arena connected Monday night. The 18-year-old rookie scored 10 points and contributed 6 rebounds, 3 assists and a blocked changeable successful 14 minutes.

"That's a amusive marque of hoops to play erstwhile the ball's moving around," Flagg said. "It was fun."

All of Flagg's points came during a two-minute, 38-second flurry successful the 2nd quarter. After grabbing a antiaircraft rebound, Flagg went seashore to seashore for a contested layup for his archetypal points with 5:32 remaining successful the quarter. He knocked down a 3-pointer arsenic the pick-and-roll shot handler the adjacent possession. Flagg besides made a brace of escaped throws aft getting fouled connected a rotation determination successful the overgarment and deed different 3 disconnected the dribble.

Flagg changeable 3-of-6 wide and 2-of-3 from 3-point range. He did not perpetrate a turnover, playing a cleanable crippled portion handling immoderate of the Mavs' constituent defender responsibilities.

"Just taking immoderate the defence gives me," Flagg said. "Just support it simple, making the close play -- walk oregon shot, immoderate that is."

Flagg's astir awesome item occurred 85 seconds into the game, erstwhile helium swooped successful from the anemic broadside to swat Isaiah Joe's driving layup attempt, a halt that sparked a accelerated interruption Anthony Davis finished with a dunk connected the different end.

"You got to spot the antiaircraft side, you got to spot the playmaking and past the scoring," Mavs manager Jason Kidd said. "He was really, truly good."

The defending champion Thunder did not bring immoderate of their regular starters connected the back-to-back preseason trip, which included a triumph implicit the Charlotte Hornets successful Charleston, South Carolina, connected Sunday night.