Mavericks vs. Pacers: Kyrie Irving scores 24 as Dallas wins 121-105, but Cooper Flagg leaves with a shoulder injury

The Dallas Mavericks got a lopsided win in Indianapolis, but the night’s biggest storyline was a scary moment for their young star. Dallas beat the Indiana Pacers 121-105 on Friday, Oct. 23, behind 24 points from Kyrie Irving, while Cooper Flagg left before halftime with a left shoulder injury after a hard foul by Aaron Nesmith.

The win was the first for new Mavericks coach Dusty May, who grew up in Indiana. It also spoiled Tyrese Haliburton’s return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, his first regular-season home game since he injured his Achilles in the 2025 NBA Finals.

What happened to Cooper Flagg?

With about a minute left in the first half, Flagg got a steal and broke away for what looked like an easy dunk. Nesmith chased him down from behind and fouled him hard, sending him sprawling, CBS Sports reported. Flagg immediately grabbed his left shoulder.

Mavericks forward Naji Marshall confronted Nesmith under the basket, and a scrum followed involving players from both teams. After a review, the foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1, and Marshall and Nesmith each received technical fouls. Flagg made both free throws, then left the game and did not return.

Dallas described the issue as left shoulder soreness. May said Flagg was in “good spirits” in the locker room and would be evaluated over the “next couple of days,” per CBS Sports. It is unclear whether he will play Saturday at home against San Antonio or Monday at Miami.

May, who said he has known Nesmith since high school, did not criticize him. “Nesmith’s a great guy. Heck of a player,” May said. “An unfortunate play. Hopefully Coop’s fine, but obviously it’s something we wish wouldn’t have happened.”

Is Cooper Flagg seriously hurt?

There’s no diagnosis beyond soreness yet. The team has not announced whether he will miss games.

Kyrie Irving stats and quote

Irving led Dallas with 24 points and made 5 of 10 3-pointers. Afterward, he explained why the Mavericks reacted so quickly to the foul.

“We’ve got to set an example for every single one of us, especially Coop, our youngest guy on the team. We gotta protect him, and when we see him go down like that, it doesn’t make us feel good,” Irving said, per CBS Sports. “When anyone goes down, especially Coop or myself or anybody, we gotta have each other’s back.”

Mavericks vs. Pacers: how Dallas built a huge lead

Dallas shot 67% in the first quarter and went on a 22-6 run to open a 42-23 lead, according to the AP. A 15-0 run in the second quarter pushed the margin to 61-31, and the Mavericks led by as many as 37 points before halftime, the Pacers said. Indiana committed 13 first-half turnovers that led to 22 Dallas points.

The Pacers won the second half 62-44 and cut the deficit to 16, but never got closer. Indiana finished with 21 turnovers, which Dallas turned into 31 points, and made just 22% of its 3-point attempts.

“It was one of the best crowds I’ve ever seen here for a regular season game,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “…But a great crowd doesn’t guarantee anything if you don’t compete the way you need to compete.”

Mavericks vs. Pacers player stats

Flagg’s point total differs slightly by source: CBS Sports and the Pacers listed 14, while the AP recap said 15. He scored 12 in the first quarter alone, according to the Pacers.

FAQ