Cooper Flagg is out for the home opener, with a return date of Oct. 26 at Miami. Dallas is 1-1 and ninth in the West, and it faces a Spurs team that is 0-2 and without Tobias Harris and Jayden Quaintance.
Flagg Leaves A Large Hole
Flagg left Friday's win after 17 minutes and finished plus-34 with 14 points, six assists and three steals. ESPN reported that he landed on his shoulder after a hard foul. He is now listed out, with Oct. 26 at Miami as his return date. Last season he carried 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists across 33.5 minutes. Tonight those touches go elsewhere.
Who Absorbs The Touches
Kyrie Irving shot 8-15 for 24 in only 25 minutes at Indiana. Naji Marshall added 15 points and six assists, and Zaccharie Risacher had 11 points and six boards. Morez Johnson Jr. was plus-21 in 17 minutes. The bench got help too: Caleb Martin, Jett Howard, Tarik Biberovic and Santi Aldama all moved from out to a listing with a return date of today. Dereck Lively II stays out through Oct. 26.
A Wounded Spurs Team Arrives
San Antonio went 62-20 last season with a net rating of 8.4, and Victor Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points and 11.5 rebounds. This year the Spurs sit 0-2, and Harris (calf) and Quaintance (knee) are out. Dallas has the cleaner health picture at the margins and the weaker resume: 26-56 last season. Friday's 37-point lead says the roster can score in bunches. The open question is whether it can do that when the 19-year-old at the center of the plan is in a sling-free suit on the bench.
Is Cooper Flagg playing against the Spurs?
No. Flagg is listed out with a left shoulder issue, and his return date is Oct. 26 at Miami.
Who is out for the Spurs in Dallas?
San Antonio lists Tobias Harris (left calf) and Jayden Quaintance (right knee) as out. The Spurs are 0-2 this season.
