Cooper Flagg still has plenty of development to work through, but the Dallas Mavericks rookie has made significant strides recently, and it’s paying off.
The Mavericks are on a three-game winning streak — their first winning streak of the season — heading into Friday’s game at the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder figure to offer Flagg and Dallas a different level of challenge and an opportunity for the rookie to show how much he’s grown.
In the first meeting this season, Flagg had a season-low two points on 1-of-9 shooting in Oklahoma City’s 101-94 win on Oct. 27 in Dallas.
During the winning streak, the 18-year-old Flagg became the youngest player in NBA history to score 20 or more points in three consecutive games. He’s averaging 27.0 points per game on 59.3 percent shooting during the streak.
“He’s been big for us,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “We’ve leaned on him on both ends of the floor. … He makes winning plays, not just in the clutch but throughout the game.”
Flagg hasn’t done it alone.
The last time Dallas played the Thunder, Ryan Nembhard had yet to emerge.
The undrafted point guard scored 43 points and dished out 23 assists with only one turnover in wins against the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat over the last two games.
“He just makes everybody better out there,” Flagg said. “He’s been ultra-confident.”
Flagg and the Mavericks are also benefitting from the return of Anthony Davis, who Kidd said was playing much better and was more comfortable than he was early in the season before missing 14 games with a left calf strain.
“It’s so much better when he’s out there,” Flagg said of Davis. “Guys are going to double him and now I’m finding cutting lanes and kind of playing off of him. It’s been a treat to be alongside him. He makes us so much better.”
The Mavericks, though, should have their hands full with Oklahoma City.
The Thunder have won 13 consecutive games and 21 of their first 22, the best start in the NBA since Golden State opened the 2015-16 season 24-0.
After winning the first nine games in their current streak by 13 or more points, Oklahoma City’s last four wins came by an average of eight points.
That’s something Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said is helping the team develop even further after winning their first NBA title last season.
“Every game in the NBA is going to look different every night,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I think it’s a skill that you have to learn and develop as a team — to just roll with the punches and just take whatever the game, whatever the team, whatever the night gives you and figure out how to come out on top.”
The Thunder are expected to be without Isaiah Hartenstein for the fourth consecutive game. Alex Caruso missed the last two games and Luguentz Dort missed Tuesday’s 124-112 win at Golden State.
Daniel Gafford suffered an ankle injury in Dallas’ win over Miami on Wednesday and did not return. Dereck Lively II has missed the last six games with a foot injury and PJ Washington has missed the last three with an ankle injury.
