Mavs BREAKING: Major Cooper Flagg Injury Update For Giannis and Heat

Cooper Flagg is expected to play Monday night in Miami, three days after a shoulder injury that looked like it would sideline him considerably longer.

The Mavericks upgraded Flagg to probable for the game against the Heat after he went through shootaround at Kaseya Center. That is a fast turnaround from where this appeared to be headed over the weekend, when Dallas announced a mild left shoulder sprain and said he would be re-evaluated “next week.” Most people took that to mean several games. As it turns out, the team meant it literally, and Monday is technically next week.

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The injury happened in the second quarter of Friday’s 121-105 win over Indiana. Flagg was driving after a steal near midcourt when Aaron Nesmith fouled him hard from behind on a dunk attempt, sending him off balance. He landed awkwardly on his left shoulder, went to the locker room and did not return. 

An MRI the next day confirmed the mild sprain. Dusty May acknowledged the diagnosis without offering a timeline, and Flagg sat out the home opener, a 122-106 loss to San Antonio. He was upgraded from out to questionable Sunday afternoon, then to probable Monday.

An MRI the next day confirmed the mild sprain. Dusty May acknowledged the diagnosis without offering a timeline, and Flagg sat out the home opener, a 122-106 loss to San Antonio in which Dallas hung around most of the night before the Spurs pulled away late. He was upgraded from out to questionable on Sunday afternoon, then to probable on Monday.

That competitive showing is part of why his return matters. The Mavericks got enough from their supporting cast to stay in a game without either star available and adding Flagg back to that group changes the equation entirely.

Kyrie Irving is also available after sitting Saturday for knee management. The timing helps, because the injury report keeps expanding. Marshall is out with an illness, while Caleb Martin, Santi Aldama, Dereck Lively II and Tarik Biberovic are all out and still waiting to make their season debuts.

Flagg’s early production shows what the Mavericks were missing. He is averaging 23.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals in 25 minutes per game, shooting 60.9 percent from the field, 50 percent from three and 88.2 percent from the line. 

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Miami enters at 0-3 and desperate for a first win with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Dallas sits at 1-2 and gets its best player back sooner than anyone anticipated.

Tipoff is 6:30 p.m. from the Kayesa Center in south Beach.