Naji Marshall defended teammate Cooper Flagg after a hard foul by Aaron Nesmith forced Flagg from a Friday game, reflecting team solidarity as the incident sparked a brief on-court altercation. Flagg left with left shoulder soreness after a breakaway dunk was challenged from behind, while officials upgraded Nesmith’s foul to a flagrant-1 and both players drew technicals. Dallas ultimately built a 16-point win behind Kyrie Irving’s 24 points, with PJ Washington contributing a 20-point, 13-rebound double-double, and Flagg’s status for the next game remained uncertain as he was to be evaluated. Marshall emphasized his reaction was instinctive due to daily camaraderie, while avoiding a direct accusation of dirty play. The episode prompted questions about Flagg’s immediate readiness but did not derail the Mavericks’ overall performance.