Cooper Flagg Hurts His Shoulder on a Flagrant Foul as the Mavericks Rout the Pacers

By The Arena Staff

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 23, 2026 — The Dallas Mavericks got the win they needed Friday night. They may have paid for it with Cooper Flagg's left shoulder.

Flagg, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, left Dallas' 121-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers just before halftime after a flagrant foul by Aaron Nesmith, according to CBS Sports and the Mavericks. The team called the injury left shoulder soreness.

## The Play

With about a minute left in the first half, Flagg came up with a steal and raced the other way alone, CBS Sports reported. Nesmith flew in from behind as Flagg went up and sent him tumbling to the floor, the Mavericks' team site said.

Flagg grabbed his shoulder right away. Mavericks forward Naji Marshall confronted Nesmith under the basket, and players and coaches from both teams came onto the court before order was restored, according to CBS Sports and the Mavericks.

After a review, Nesmith was given a Flagrant 1 and a technical foul, and Marshall also got a technical, CBS Sports reported. Flagg made both free throws, then walked to the locker room holding his left shoulder and did not return.

## "We Gotta Protect Him"

The Mavericks didn't hide how they felt about the hit.

"I thought it was a bad foul," forward P.J. Washington said, according to the Mavericks. "Obviously, we want to protect our guys."

Kyrie Irving, who scored 24 points, said the team had to stand up for its youngest player. "We've got to set an example for every single one of us, especially Coop, our youngest guy on the team. We gotta protect him, and when we see him go down like that, it doesn't make us feel good," Irving said, as quoted by CBS Sports.

Coach Dusty May was more measured. "Nesmith's a great guy. Heck of a player. I've known him since he was in high school. An unfortunate play," May said, according to CBS Sports. He said Flagg was in good spirits and would be evaluated over the next couple of days.

## A Big Night Before the Hit

Flagg had 14 points, five rebounds, six assists and three steals on 4-of-6 shooting in 17 minutes before he got hurt, CBS Sports reported. He scored 32 points in Wednesday's season-opening loss to Houston.

Dallas was rolling at the time. The Mavericks scored 44 points in the first quarter and led 77-43 at halftime, according to the team. The win was May's first as an NBA head coach, and his players doused him with ice water in the locker room afterward, the Mavericks said. Washington added 20 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks.

## What's Next

The Mavericks open their home schedule Saturday night against the San Antonio Spurs, then visit the Miami Heat on Monday. CBS Sports said it was unclear whether Flagg would play in either game. ESPN's injury report lists him as out, with an estimated return date of Oct. 26.

> The Box
> - Final: Mavericks 121, Pacers 105, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
> - Flagg: 14 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals in 17 minutes
> - Up next: Spurs at Mavericks, Saturday, 8 p.m. ET

Reported by the Dallas Mavericks, CBS Sports and AP News.

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<small>Photo: Hameltion, Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (March 2025 file photo from Flagg's Duke career; cropped).</small>