Archives

Friday, February 13, 2026
HomeDallas MavericksDallas Mavericks vs. New York Knicks Injury Updates: Will Cooper Flagg, Jalen Brunson Play?
Dallas MavericksNBANew York Knicks

Dallas Mavericks vs. New York Knicks Injury Updates: Will Cooper Flagg, Jalen Brunson Play?

Grant AfsethGrant Afseth
Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks, NBA
Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

Two teams navigating very different standings but similar injury uncertainty will meet Monday afternoon when the New York Knicks host the Dallas Mavericks in the league’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day showcase.

Dallas arrives with momentum after back-to-back wins over the Utah Jazz, while New York continues to search for answers amid a prolonged slide that has coincided with injuries to key contributors.

Dallas Mavericks Finding Wins Without Cooper Flagg

The Mavericks were able to steady themselves this past week despite being without rookie forward Cooper Flagg, who missed a two-game home set against Utah with a left ankle sprain. Dallas led wire-to-wire in Saturday’s 138–120 win and followed a similar script two nights earlier, leaning heavily on shooting, pace, and ball movement.

Klay Thompson was central to that success. Thompson scored a team-high 23 points in just 20 minutes off the bench Saturday, reaching the 17,000-point milestone. He added 26 points in Thursday’s win, moving into fourth place on the NBA’s all-time 3-point list.

Over the two games, Thompson shot 56.7% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc.

“My mindset is to try and get open and get my shoulders square and let it fly,” Thompson said. “And when I do that and I shoot it with confidence, it usually goes in.

“Twenty-three points in 20 minutes is pretty good, so I’ll carry that same flow into New York City.”

Dallas is now 2–1 this season without Flagg. He previously missed the Mavericks’ 113–111 home loss to New York on Nov. 19 due to illness.

Cooper Flagg Headline Dallas Mavericks Injury Report

Flagg enters Monday listed as questionable after already missing two games with the ankle sprain. He is averaging 18.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 40 games and last played earlier in the week against Brooklyn, when he scored 27 points.

While Dallas has adapted in his absence, his availability remains a central storyline as the Mavericks attempt to carry recent offensive rhythm into a road environment.

Flagg is one of several names on an extensive injury report. Dallas will remain without Anthony Davis (left finger sprain), Kyrie Irving (left knee surgery), Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain), Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery), D’Angelo Russell (illness), P.J. Washington (personal reasons), and Danté Exum (right knee surgery).

Three two-way players—Moussa Cissé, Miles Kelly, and Ryan Nembhard—are listed as probable, an important detail as Dallas continues to rely on depth and flexible lineups. Increased responsibility has fallen to players such as Jaden Hardy, Caleb Martin, and Dwight Powell during the injury stretch.

New York Knicks Struggling Without Jalen Brunson

New York’s challenges have been more pronounced. The Knicks have not been nearly as effective without Jalen Brunson, who has not played since spraining his right ankle early in Wednesday’s loss to Sacramento.

Brunson is averaging 28.2 points per game while shooting 38.8% from three this season. His absence was felt late in Saturday’s 106–99 loss to Phoenix, when New York went 1-for-11 from deep over the final 8:11 as the Suns closed on a 19–12 run.

The loss dropped the Knicks to eight defeats in their last 10 games, a sharp reversal after a 10–4 December run that included an NBA Cup title.

“You don’t want to lose games at all, especially going 2–8 in the last 10,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said. “There’s a concern, but not to the point where we are going to overhaul everything. We have to work. We have to look in the mirror. Starting with me.”

Josh Hart missed Saturday’s game with a sore right ankle and has now sat out nine of the Knicks’ last 12 contests. His availability, along with Brunson’s, will help shape how New York approaches a matchup against a Dallas team that has found confidence playing through adversity.

A Meeting Defined By Availability

Monday’s game pairs a Mavericks team leaning into depth and shooting with a Knicks group searching for stability amid injuries to its primary playmakers. Dallas has shown it can survive without Flagg in short bursts, while New York has struggled to replicate its offensive identity without Brunson.

Whether either centerpiece returns could significantly influence the flow of a matchup that carries weight for two teams trying to stabilize their seasons in different ways.

Latest Dallas Mavericks News & NBA Trade Rumors

Tags :Cooper FlaggDallas MavericksJalen BrunsonJosh HartKlay ThompsonNBA Injury ReportNBA NewsNew York Knicks
Grant Afseth

Grant Afseth

Senior Writer
Grant Afseth is a Senior Writer for DallasHoopsJournal.com, where he leads in-depth coverage of the Mavericks, Wings, and more. Between a focus on the latest news, closer looks at games, front office strategy, and more, Afseth provides objective coverage. Afseth contributes broader NBA coverage across platforms and has been cited in national outlets for his reporting and analysis. With nearly a decade of journalism experience, Afseth has covered the NBA and WNBA for multiple major outlets, including Athlon Sports, BallIsLife, Sportskeeda, and RG.org. He previously reported on the Indiana Pacers for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and the Mavericks for FanNation.
view all posts

You Might Also Like