Key Takeaways

• Cooper Flagg left the game with left shoulder soreness after landing hard on the shoulder while attempting a breakaway dunk; he did not return for the second half.
• The foul came from Aaron Nesmith as Nesmith attempted to block Flagg from behind to prevent the dunk, prompting a replay review that resulted in double technicals for Nesmith and Naji Marshall.
• Flagg finished the game with 14 points, five rebounds and six assists in 17 minutes before leaving the floor, on a night where he had been trending toward a triple-double early in the season.
• Mavericks coach Dusty May indicated Flagg would be evaluated in the coming days and that an MRI decision had not yet been determined, noting the player was in good spirits in the locker room.
• Two Mavericks players briefly left the bench after the play to check on Flagg, raising questions about discipline and on-court conduct following the incident.
• Indiana coach Rick Carlisle noted a pattern of multiple skirmishes across recent games, highlighting a broader physical level to Indiana's contests this season.
• Dallas secured the victory without Flagg in the second half, while the team and players addressed the injury and the surrounding stoppages as the game concluded.