Cooper Flagg, last season's Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, did not return for the second half of the Dallas Mavericks' game at the Indiana Pacers on the night of 23 October, US time (the morning of 24 October in Vietnam), after injuring his left shoulder. Dallas still won 121-105, with Kyrie Irving scoring 24 points to spoil Tyrese Haliburton's first home game since the 2025 NBA Finals, AP reported in a story carried by NBA.com.
The foul that ended Flagg's night
According to AP, Flagg was fouled by Aaron Nesmith on what looked like it would be a breakaway dunk. Nesmith was called for a flagrant foul, and a double technical was assessed after a brief shoving match. Flagg hurt his left shoulder on the play and sat out the second half. The hard foul came after Dallas had put together another 10-0 run in the second quarter.
The body of AP's story credits Flagg with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists, while the photo caption on NBA.com lists 14 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists in 17 minutes before he left. KBVN+ uses the figure from the body of the story.
AP did not report any test results or a timetable for Flagg's return, and the story carried no update from the Mavericks.
How the game unfolded
| Moment | What happened |
|---|---|
| Player introductions | Haliburton received a rousing ovation from the home crowd |
| First quarter | Dallas went on a 22-6 run to lead 42-23 |
| Second quarter | Dallas scored 15 straight points to lead 61-31 |
| Second quarter | Another 10-0 Dallas run, followed by Nesmith's foul on Flagg |
| Second half | Flagg did not return |
| Final | Mavericks 121-105 Pacers |
Timeline compiled by KBVN+ from AP's report. Dallas built a big cushion before half-time, stretching a 42-23 first-quarter lead to 61-31 in the second quarter and then adding yet another 10-0 burst.
Irving scored 24 points and went 5-for-10 from 3-point range. P.J. Washington had 20 points and 13 rebounds. It was the Mavericks' first win under new coach Dusty May, who grew up in Indiana.
Haliburton's homecoming
Haliburton was warmly received when he was introduced, but Indiana's play soon turned those cheers into boos. The game was his first at home since the 2025 NBA Finals. KBVN+ earlier covered Haliburton's return in the Pacers' win over the Pelicans.
What's next
Flagg's status now rests on word from the Mavericks: as of AP's story, published on NBA.com on the morning of 24 October, Vietnam time, no test results or recovery timeline had been announced. The story also did not list either team's next game.
More: the NBA 2026-27 opening night. Readers in Vietnam can check FPT Play's NBA 2026-2027 broadcast plan.