One ugly moment overshadowed the injury-riddled showdown between the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets, as Cooper Flagg was forced to the locker room. It caught many by surprise because the rookie has largely been durable this season.

Why did Cooper Flagg leave the game? What injury did he suffer?

In the second quarter, with about six minutes left, Nuggets forward Peyton Watson drove into Flagg, who was defending him, throwing the rookie off balance.

As he tried to regain balance, Flagg landed awkwardly on his left ankle and appeared to have twisted it. Head coach Jason Kidd immediately called a timeout, and the rookie immediately headed to the locker room.

Flagg returned, checking in for a few minutes to the end of the first half, but was seen hobbling again. He left the game again at halftime and didn’t return.

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In his place, Ryan Nembhard started the second half, and the Mavericks soon announced that Flagg was ruled out of the game due to a left ankle sprain.

How did Cooper Flagg perform before leaving?

Cooper Flagg didn’t perform too well before exiting tonight. In 15 minutes, the forward logged six points on 3 of 9 shooting, along with a rebound, an assist, and a block. Despite his best efforts, the team struggled with him on the floor, as shown by his -11 plus/minus.

This game was below expectations for Flagg. Before tip-off, he was presented with the Rookie of the Month award for December, an honor he earned by averaging 23.5 points, 4.8 assists, and 6.2 rebounds on a respectable 33.3% from beyond the arc.

How did the Dallas Mavericks adjust without Flagg?

Without Flagg, reserves Ryan Nembhard and Caleb Martin saw increased playing time. They logged solid production on both ends, combining for 20 points, seven assists, seven rebounds, and three steals. But the team ultimately fell to the Nuggets, who were fueled by a stellar 33-point effort from Jamal Murray.

The injury is Cooper Flagg’s first since November, when he sat out a game against the New York Knicks due to illness. During an injury-riddled season that has seen Kidd use 19 different starting lineups, he has emerged as the team’s most reliable piece.

Flagg has also had a solid campaign for both the Rookie of the Year award and an All-Star nomination, including being the highest voted rookie (236,182 votes) in the second round. Upon being asked about the results, the Mavericks forward was gracious, telling reporters:

“Yeah, I feel blessed. Obviously, to see that is really cool. I feel really honored, really blessed to see my name up there. Yeah, I’m definitely surprised.”

Only time will tell if he actually earns either of the honors, but it’s clear that Flagg has quickly made a name for himself in the big leagues.