Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg downplayed the hype surrounding Friday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, calling it “just another game.”
According to Mike Curtis, Flagg said, “I’m trying to survive day by day, take everything one day at a time, one game at a time. Right now, we’re just trying to find ways to win.”
The Mavericks (5-14) are struggling early in the 2025–26 season despite Flagg’s strong individual play. The No. 1 pick is averaging 15.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per 33.6 minutes across 18 games, showing early signs of all-around potential on both ends of the floor.
Anthony Davis has been the Mavericks’ top performer, contributing 20.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in 29.8 minutes across five games.
Los Angeles (12-4) enters the matchup as a Western Conference contender led by Luka Doncic, who is putting up 34.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per 37.1 minutes.
Flagg emphasized staying focused on fundamentals rather than external expectations. “I know there’s going to be a lot of other things that go into that game and through a lot of these guys’ mindsets & whatnot,” he said. “For me, it’s just another game.”
The Mavericks will need contributions from Max Christie, P.J. Washington, and Klay Thompson alongside Flagg to challenge the Lakers. Christie averages 15.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per 31.5 minutes, while Washington adds 12.8 points per game. Thompson, in his second season with Dallas, is averaging 10.3 points per game.
The matchup will also test Dallas’ defensive cohesion against a Lakers team that has scored 117.3 points per game while committing only 15.8 turnovers per game.
For the rookie, the focus remains on day-to-day improvement rather than individual matchups. “I’m trying to survive day by day, take everything one day at a time, one game at a time,” Flagg reiterated. The upcoming Lakers game is another opportunity for the young star to measure his development against elite competition.
