A tough night for Cooper Flagg, who – after his solid performance against Toronto – ran into the physical toll of his first true NBA back-to-back. Flagg felt pain in his left shoulder on the very first play of the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, which ended in a 101–94 loss, and he spent…
A tough night for Cooper Flagg, who – after his solid performance against Toronto – ran into the physical toll of his first true NBA back-to-back.
Flagg felt pain in his left shoulder on the very first play of the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, which ended in a 101–94 loss, and he spent the final minutes watching from the bench.
We’ll see how he feels tomorrow. The shoulder is sore, so we’ll evaluate his condition. He played through the pain – he’s a tough kid – but we’ll know more tomorrow
Jason Kidd
Flagg finished with just 2 points on 1-for-9 shooting, 2 rebounds, and no assists in 31 minutes. “I was a bit drained – the second game in a row definitely hit me”, admitted the No. 1 pick of the most recent Draft, who had scored 22 points the night before in the win over the Raptors.
Throughout the game, the Maine native was often seen with a heating wrap around his shoulder, which was later treated postgame.
I think it’s just a bit of soreness. We’ll probably run some tests just to be safe, but I should be fine for the next one against Indiana. The important thing is to keep things under control and stick with the rehab
Cooper Flagg
Flagg left the game with just over eight minutes remaining, returning only for a few defensive possessions. Jason Kidd praised his toughness but admitted it wasn’t his night, explaining that keeping him out down the stretch was about giving the team the best chance to win.
He showed toughness, played through pain. But our job is to put out the lineup that gives us the best chance to win. It just wasn’t his night, and the group we had was working
Jason Kidd
Flagg accepted the decision with maturity:
I’d never been benched at the end before, but I understand the decision. We had a rhythm going, and I wasn’t helping the team the way I should have. Coach made the right call – the goal is to win
Cooper Flagg
For an 18-year-old just weeks into his NBA journey, even a night like this can be an important lesson: learning when to stop, listening to your body, and continuing to grow.
