Dallas Mavericks Star Cooper Flagg Opens Up On Playing Alongside Kyrie Irving In 2026-2027 Season

Cooper Flagg says "it's great" playing with Kyrie Irving© Instagram/ Kyrieirving and Instagram/ Cooper_Flagg

The Dallas Mavericks have won three in a row, and the duo of Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg is the reason. Irving scored 35 and Flagg added 33 in a 116-111 win over the Houston Rockets. Asked after the game what it is like playing next to Irving, Flagg said “it's great” to have another co-star helping him win games.

Flagg on Playing With Irving

The 2026-27 season has produced several star pairings, and Flagg and Irving are one of them, steering Dallas through a strong start. After the Houston game, a reporter asked Flagg what the partnership has been like. “It's great. We have a lot of stars. Guys are being stars in their roles, and I think that's what we're seeing,” he said.

He was quick to spread the credit around. “As we have started to get a couple of wins early, it's just guys just really sacrificing and being a star in their role,” Flagg said. He then singled out several teammates by name: “Guys like Zacch, P.J., Gaff, those guys are all stars in their roles and they're vital to our success.”

Then he came back to Irving. “But it's felt great to have Kyrie out there, someone who just puts the ball in the basket better than the best of them.” The praise was easy to give. Irving finished two points ahead of him on the night, and Flagg had no trouble saying so.

Mavericks 116, Rockets 111

The game was Dallas's first of NBA Cup group play. Irving led the Mavericks in scoring, with Flagg right behind him, and the win lifted Dallas to 4-2 after a 1-2 start. The Mavericks' next game is against the Sacramento Kings.

Houston was paced by Kevin Durant, who scored 28, and Jabari Smith Jr., who added 22. Their 50 points were not enough to close out a five-point game. For the Rockets, it was the first loss after five straight wins, and it left them at 5-1. They will look to bounce back against the Oklahoma City Thunder.