Copyright sportskeeda
It has been far from the start to the new season the Dallas Mavericks would have been hoping for, with rookie star Cooper Flagg tasked with primary ball-handling duties.The Mavs are 2-4. They lost 125-92 to the Spurs and Wizards before earning their first win against the Raptors, then suffered a 101-94 defeat to the OKC Thunder. They picked up their second win against a short-handed Pacers team before losing 122-110 to the Pistons in their first road game of the season.Among the Mavs' many issues, Cooper Flagg's positioning has been a major concern. The 18-year-old has found it difficult to adapt to the tactical demands of Jason Kidd’s setup while playing point guard, a role he never played previously.While he did get two double-doubles, his overall performance has been inconsistent, perhaps a reminder that he's still acclimating to the league.With the team yet to hit their stride, Cooper Flagg is facing mounting pressure that has kept him in the spotlight and questions have been asked his rocky start, but the rookie sensation isn’t worried in the least.“It’s a tough league,” Flagg said to the media on Saturday. “It’s a transition. I haven’t made a lot of shots or been as efficient as I would’ve wanted to be, but I’m gonna keep trusting the work. It’s nothing I think they should be worried about. I’m not worried about anything.”Jason Kidd Details Why He’s Letting Cooper Flagg Learn the Hard Way at Point GuardMavericks coach Jason Kidd has revealed the reason why he decided to use Cooper Flagg as the team’s ball handler.They are dealing with multiple player injuries, including Kyrie Irving, who is in recovery after an ACL injury.With Irving out, Kidd is forced to think outside the box.“There's a couple of things behind (Cooper Flagg) playing point guard. One is our health. You know, coming out of training camp, we had a lot of injuries, and so being able to have Cooper handle the ball. The other part of handling the ball is being able to handle the pressure. When April comes around, you're playing for something greater. And so just to have that experience, I think, early on here is a blessing, and I think it will only help him in this marathon because it will help us have another ball handler that can make decisions on the floor once we get healthy."D'Angelo Russell, whom they signed to be their primary guard until Irving's return, has fallen out of favor in coach Kidd's lineup. Flagg has displayed glimpses of his potential at times but his offensive acumen hasn’t been great. It will be only a matter of time before he gets it right.
