The Dallas Mavericks faced a major injury scare during their 121-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Star forward Cooper Flagg was forced to leave the game early after taking a hard hit from Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith late in the second quarter.
As Flagg mounted a fastbreak drive toward the rim for a breakaway dunk, Nesmith made heavy contact from behind, sending the young standout crashing hard to the hardwood. Flagg lay on the floor clutching his left shoulder in clear discomfort.
The dangerous foul immediately ignited tempers, triggering a heated confrontation between both teams as Mavericks forward Naji Marshall stepped in to confront Nesmith.
Following an official review, referees assessed Nesmith a Flagrant 1 foul alongside double technical fouls to Nesmith and Marshall for their roles in the altercation.
Locker room exit and game outcome
Before heading to the locker room for evaluation, Flagg remained on the court to shoot his awarded free throws. However, the Mavericks ruled him out for the remainder of the contest, diagnosing him with left shoulder soreness.
Prior to his premature exit, Flagg was dominant in just 17 minutes of action, registering 14 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals. Kyrie Irving subsequently powered the offense with 24 points to steal the win for Dallas.
The Mavericks continue to evaluate Flagg’s shoulder condition to determine if the sophomore star will miss additional games.
