Dallas Mavericks Update Cooper Flagg’s Status For Saturday

The Dallas Mavericks have been dealing with an injury bug, significantly affecting their overall roster and in-game performance. Key players like veteran Kyrie Irving have been sidelined with a torn ACL in his left knee, while Forward Daniel Gafford and rookie Cooper Flagg have suffered left and right ankle sprains, respectively.

The Mavericks provided an update to the general public about Flagg’s injury status ahead of Saturday’s home game against the Utah Jazz at 4:00 p.m. Central. Saturday’s game is the second of a back-to-back set between the Mavs and the Jazz, along with African American Heritage Night to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The Mavs listed Flagg, 19, as doubtful to play on Saturday due to a left ankle sprain. The Mavs’ update on the 19-year-old’s injury may or may not be concerning, depending on who you ask. However, there are pros and cons for the former Duke star to sit on the sidelines for the second straight game. Read on to make an informed decision.

Dallas Mavericks Update Cooper Flagg’s Status

The Mavericks updated Flagg’s status on Friday. The Mavs listed him as doubtful to play on Saturday due to a left ankle sprain sustained on Wednesday, Jan. 14, against the Denver Nuggets.

Flagg sustained the ankle injury in the second quarter of Wednesday’s game that ended in a 118-109 loss to the Nuggets, despite the Mavs’ late comeback to inch closer to the No. 3 team in the Western Conference.

Flagg was ruled out of the game, recording 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 block in 14 minutes and 49 seconds of action. The No. 1 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft was then ruled out of action in Thursday’s game against the Jazz as the first game of a back-to-back set between the two teams.

Flagg has missed two games, but the injury is reportedly not a significant concern, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Mavericks’ Outlook With Flagg

The Mavericks’ outlook with Flagg appears to be optimistic and trending in the right direction amid his current ankle injury. The Newport, Maine native is averaging 18.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.3 steals on 47.8% shooting from the field in 40 games with the Mavs.

The Newport. Maine native’s second in scoring among all rookies, one of two first-year players with three 30-point performances, and a two-time Western Conference Rookie of the Month.

Next Steps

No Flagg? No problem. The Mavs blew out the Utah Jazz 144-122 on Thursday, thanks to a 26-point performance from veteran Klay Thompson, who has been struggling much of this season. The Mavs’ blowout of the Jazz could also be attributed to a lead as much as 38 points after shooting 56.7% from the field, improving to 4-4 in January.

If the Mavs repeat Thursday’s stellar and all-around performance, there’s a chance they could beat the Jazz again. The Mavs’ ability to maintain a strong offensive rhythm, while capitalizing on the Jazz’s weaknesses, would serve as the key to success on Saturday.

In the meantime, Flagg will be alright after recovering from the ankle injury. Flagg is the current frontrunner to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and one of the leaders in the NBA All-Star Game voting.

The 2026 NBA All-Star Game, which will be played in a round-robin tournament, will be hosted by the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, Feb. 15.