Mavericks lose Cooper Flagg with shoulder injury following hard foul in 1st half against Pacers

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg has been ruled out for the remainder of Friday night's matchup against the Indiana Pacers due to a left shoulder injury sustained during the first half. Last season's NBA Rookie of the Year appeared set for a breakaway dunk when Pacers swingman Aaron Nesmith delivered a hard foul from behind, causing Flagg to lose his balance and land awkwardly on his shoulder under the basket.

An altercation erupted as coaches attempted to separate the players, resulting in a flagrant foul call against Nesmith and a double technical assessment to Dallas guard Naji Marshall. Flagg remained in the locker room throughout halftime, not returning to the game. He had contributed 14 points, six assists, and five rebounds prior to the injury.