Tonight’s Christmas Day NBA matchup saw the Golden State Warriors battle the depleted Dallas Mavericks, which saw Steph Curry and the Dubs snatch a W with a 126-116 victory. The Mavs did not make it easy for Steve Kerr and company, though, and a lot of that had to do with rookie Cooper Flagg, who dropped 27 points, was the highest scoring player on the court, and did not make it an easy path to victory for Golden State.
Despite his best efforts, Dallas just couldn’t hold up on the defensive side as 7 Warriors players had double digits and were just too much for the Mavs down the stretch. But Flagg was prepared for his first Xmas day primetime spot and delivered on all cylinders.
There’s a reason that the Duke alum went No. 1 overall in this year’s draft, and why he was so highly touted coming into the league. The 19-year-old certainly caught the attention of the right people, particularly Curry. The Chef was asked about Flagg’s performance during an immediate postgame interview and paid the young baller his respects.
“Just a true hooper. Competitor. We forget how young he is. Just his presence out there on the court. The future is bright,” stated the four-time champion. Few guys in the league could properly pass the torch to Cooper in such a way, and The Chef is one of them. He’s been such a stable of success that only LeBron James can match up against in this current era of greatness that is getting ready to hang em up.
More importantly, Curry can rest assured that the future of the NBA is in good hands with the Flagg. “I’m glad he got this experience in his first year to understand what the bright lights feel like. The league is in good hands.” It really does feel like Flagg could be a Top 10, maybe even Top 5 player in the league within the next few years, especially if he continues to develop the right way.
The Mavericks have had a disappointing season and a lot has been placed on the Duke alum from the get-go. Yet he’s never complained, but only ascended. What started as a slow progression has turned into Flagg realizing that he can be the team’s leading scorer. It’s probably not what will help Dallas win now, but it’s going to instill the confidence into him that he’ll remember down the line.
Mavs coach Jason Kidd recently stated in an interview that he’s also seen the improvements in Cooper’s game since the start of the season, and although losing is hard (Mavs are currently 12-20) that he can only learn good lessons from this type of uphill climb from the beginning of his NBA tenure.
While the Warriors walked away with the Christmas Day win, the night ultimately felt like a coming-out party for Flagg. On the biggest stage against one of the league’s defining superstars, the 19-year-old didn’t shrink. Dallas’ record may not reflect it yet, but performances like this are the building blocks of something bigger, both for Flagg and the franchise.
