Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)
October 2025
The No. 1 pick tweaked his left shoulder in the opening minute at Oklahoma City, finishing 1-for-9 for two points and sitting key closing minutes as Dallas’ rally fell short 101–94. Flagg will undergo imaging but expects to feature versus Indiana, navigating the physical toll of his first NBA back-to-back. Medical staff will prioritise pain-guided load, scapular stabilisation, and contact progressions. Rotation hedge: lean on veteran ballhandlers late while Flagg’s usage normalises. Developmental takeaway: manage rookie back-to-backs with prehab blocks and controlled on-ball volume. Dallas’ next back-to-back (Nov 7–8) becomes a monitoring waypoint.