Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg reacts after suffering a right hand injury in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets on March 25, 2026 in Denver.
DENVER, COLORADO — March 25, 2026: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts after being injured on a fourth‑quarter play against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)
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‘Get Ready For The Next One’: Cooper Flagg Addresses Right Hand Injury After Dallas Mavericks’ Loss To Denver Nuggets

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg finished Wednesday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets despite injuring his right hand in the fourth quarter, and was spotted in the locker room afterward with his hand heavily wrapped and iced.

Flagg injured his hand by landing awkwardly late in the game. He also cut his left elbow on the play but finished the contest, posting 26 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists on 10-of-18 shooting in 36 minutes of a 142-135 loss at Ball Arena. The Mavericks have not issued an official injury designation.

Flagg was candid postgame about the physical toll of a demanding stretch.

“Doing okay,” Flagg said. “It’s tough — playing a lot of minutes, a couple overtime games back-to-back, and physical games. Just got to take care of my body and get ready for the next one.”

On the season, Flagg is averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 61 games. Dallas has now lost five straight and 24 of its last 28 games. The Mavericks played without Daniel Gafford, who was ruled out before tip-off with a right shoulder sprain.

Dallas’s next game is Friday night against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. An official update on Flagg’s status will naturally be included in the Mavericks’ injury report on Thursday.

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Grant Afseth

Grant Afseth

Senior Writer
is a Senior Writer for Dallas Hoops Journal and a lead contributor to Roundtable.io. With over a decade of experience as a credentialed journalist, Afseth provides elite tactical analysis and front-office strategy for the Mavericks, Wings, and Texas basketball. His reporting is featured across national platforms including Newsweek, RG.org, Hoops Rumors, and Athlon Sports. A primary source for the basketball community, his work is frequently cited by Wikipedia, RealGM, and Basketball-Reference. He previously served as a Mavericks and NBA reporter for Sports Illustrated's FanNation and Rockets/OnSI, as well as Ballislife, Heavy Sports, ClutchPoints, and NBA Analysis Network. During the Mavericks' 2024 NBA Finals run and the pivotal 2025 offseason—featuring his lead reporting on the Luka Dončić-Anthony Davis trade—he served as a featured insider for The Texas Standard and BBC Sport Radio. Afseth is a regular guest on Fox 4 Dallas and 105.3 The Fan. He previously reported for the Kokomo Tribune and Winsidr. Follow his real-time reporting on X @GrantAfseth.