Tim MacMahonFeb 1, 2026, 12:57 AM ETCloseJoined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas MavericksAppears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FMFollow on XMultiple Authors
HOUSTON — Two days after setting a franchise rookie scoring record, Cooper Flagg poured in 34 more points Saturday night. But his coach left the game displeased that Flagg didn’t get more opportunities at the free throw line with the game in the balance.
After the Mavs’ 111-107 road loss to the Houston Rockets, Dallas coach Jason Kidd criticized the referees for not calling a foul on Flagg’s drive to the basket late in the game. The rookie missed a layup on that possession that would have tied the score with 25 seconds remaining.
“I saw a foul,” Kidd said. “[Officials] Sean [Wright], Simone [Jelks] and Jason [Goldenberg] were awful tonight. The referees were unacceptable. It’s a foul, and he needs to be at the free throw line. Now, does he make both? That’s up to the player, but the referees did not do their job. They were terrible.”
According to ESPN Research, Flagg’s 50 paint points against the Hornets and Rockets are the most by a rookie in a two-game span during the play-by-play era, which started in 1997-98.
On the possession that irritated Kidd, Flagg drove with his left hand down the middle of the floor against Rockets defensive stopper Amen Thompson. Flagg attempted a left-handed layup in traffic, falling to the floor as it missed.
Flagg was 7-of-10 from the line against the Rockets, a team known for physical defense. That is only the fifth time this season that Flagg, who averages 4.5 free throws per game, has attempted double-digit free throws in a game.
“He’s going to continue to keep going until they blow the whistle,” Kidd said. “There’s a lot of fouls missed with this young man. Maybe they just don’t know his game yet, but that’s who he is. He’s going to continue to keep driving. He’s not going to get discouraged. Tonight, he backed up what he did the other night — put his team in a position to win the game or to tie the game.”
“I feel like JK has a lot of trust in me, and I have a lot of trust in him,” Flagg said. “And so, just building that relationship, I feel that we’re continuing to grow our bond. That’s just having my back.”
Tim MacMahonFeb 1, 2026, 12:57 AM ETCloseJoined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas MavericksAppears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FMFollow on XMultiple Authors
CloseJoined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas MavericksAppears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FMFollow on X
“He’s figured it out,” Rockets star Kevin Durant said. “He understands that he’s tough to stop.”
Jason Kidd goes off in news conference after question about Cooper Flagg (0:45)Mavericks coach Jason Kidd goes off about criticism from media about playing Cooper Flagg at point guard. (0:45)