Cooper

Flagg

Flagg came within two assists of his first-career triple-double, as he collected double-digit rebounds for the fourth time this season, and reached 25 points or more for the seventh time. The rookie sensation also came through on the defensive end — there, he finished with four stocks and tied a career-high in steals. Flagg has enjoyed a stellar first NBA season. His trajectory could lead him to become one of the most productive fantasy players for years to come.

Flagg’s second stint as the primary playmaker in Dallas’ starting lineup has gone well. Through two games, the rookie has recorded 12 assists with just three turnovers. One of his six helpers on Tuesday set up Brandon Williams’ game-winning three-pointer with 33.9 seconds remaining. If Flagg can continue on this path of efficient playmaking, reaching his Yahoo! ADP (42) before the season concludes should not be difficult. There was an injury scare during Tuesday’s game, as Flagg left during the third quarter after banging knees with Sacramento’s Precious Achiuwa. However, after some time on the exercise bike, the rookie was back on the court later in the quarter.

Flagg did not shoot the ball well on Thursday, but he’s now recorded at least five assists in six consecutive games. The increased assist production is one reason why the rookie has been a top-50 player in eight-cat formats over the past two weeks. The Mavericks play once more during Week 11, at home against the Rockets on Saturday, before playing three games in Week 12.

While Flagg recorded a complete stat line in Portland, he struggled to provide consistent scoring. There were brief periods when he showed why he currently leads all rookies in scoring, but Flagg could not get untracked. And the shooting struggles may have led him to attempt only three shots in the fourth quarter, all misses. With Anthony Davis out due to a groin injury, there’s room for Flagg to be more assertive offensively, and the Mavericks need him to be. He’ll look to bounce back when the Mavericks host Philadelphia on Thursday.

With Anthony Davis (groin) out, there’s even more room for Flagg to exert his influence on the offensive end of the floor. That may have made Saturday’s performance somewhat disappointing for fantasy managers, even with the rookie scoring 23 points while shooting over 50 percent from the field. Flagg only attempted 13 shots on the day after putting up 21 in each of his two previous outings. That isn’t all on the rookie, of course, but there should not be games in which Max Christie (12 attempts) puts up almost as many shots as Flagg. Dallas opens a four-game Week 11 in New Orleans on Monday.

Four days after turning 19 years old, Flagg made his Christmas Day debut. While it ended in defeat and Anthony Davis (groin) limped off with another injury, the rookie certainly made a positive impression. Flagg shot over 50 percent from the field and provided solid value in the rebound and assist categories against the Warriors. Depending on how long Davis is out, the Mavericks will have to rely even more on their prized rookie. Dallas ends its Week 10 schedule in Sacramento on Saturday.

Davis pulled up lame during the second quarter and was substituted immediately. According to the Mavericks, he has been diagnosed with right groin spasms and will not return. Max Christie replaced Davis in the lineup to begin the third quarter, and Dallas will run a Cooper Flagg-heavy offense as they look to come back.

Flagg got off to a scorching hot start to this game; he scored 14 points without missing in the first quarter and entered halftime with 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting. He set a new career high for triples in this game; prior to this, Flagg had really struggled to shoot from deep. Over his previous 10 games, Flagg had hit a total of four triples. He came close to recording his first triple-double, and it seems that everything is starting to click for him. Remember, he just turned 19 two days before this game, which was the second leg of a back-to-back. The sky is the limit for him.

Flagg’s final line was good with one notable exception: free-throw shooting. The rookie missed half of his 10 attempts, a surprising performance given that he was an 82.8 percent shooter from the foul line entering the game. Over the last two weeks, Flagg has been a fourth-round player in eight-cat formats, which aligns with his Yahoo! ADP (42). The season-long value remains two rounds lower than his ADP, but he’s headed in the right direction after a slow start.