Tim MacMahon
DALLAS — Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg has been ruled out for Thursday night’s home game against the Utah Jazz due to a left ankle sprain.
The only previous game that Flagg, the No. 1 pick, missed this season was due to illness in a Nov. 19 loss to the New York Knicks.
Flagg suffered the injury in the second quarter of Wednesday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets.
Flagg twisted the ankle while defending Denver’s Peyton Watson on a drive with 6:01 remaining in the second quarter.
Flagg, who was called for a foul on the play, limped off the floor and straight into the tunnel with Mavs athletic trainer Jana Austin following him. He returned to the game with 2:35 remaining in the quarter but winced on multiple occasions while playing the rest of the quarter.
Flagg did not return after halftime. The team announced early in the third quarter that Flagg, the Rookie of the Year favorite who is averaging 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists, had been ruled out the rest of the game.
It was the second consecutive contest that Flagg twisted that ankle. He returned in Monday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets after getting the ankle retaped.
