Kidd Praises Flagg's Performance While Uncertain About Starting Point Guard Role For Dallas Mavericks

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Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd has expressed admiration for Cooper Flagg's recent performances as a point guard. However, he remains undecided about whether Flagg will start in that position. Flagg, the top draft pick, played point guard in the Mavericks' last two preseason games, contributing to a 121-94 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Flagg initially began the preseason at forward but switched to point guard, a role he is familiar with from his time at Duke. During his starts as point guard, he averaged 12 points, 4.5 rebounds, and two assists. His performance helped the team recover from a slow start against the Lakers.

Kidd noted that Flagg must keep track of who takes shots and when, which will improve with experience. "There's a lot of good, positive stories here," Kidd said. He praised Flagg's ability to manage the team and highlighted how much his teammates enjoy him in this role.

Despite some initial challenges against Gabe Vincent, who scored 18 points and made five three-pointers early on, Flagg is determined to improve before the season opener against the San Antonio Spurs on October 23. "Just continuing to get comfortable," Flagg stated.

Kidd acknowledged the difficulty of defending against skilled players in pick-and-roll situations regardless of height. "No matter if you're 6-4, 6-2 or 6-8... it's hard," Kidd explained. He believes Flagg's competitive nature will help him adapt quickly and benefit in the long run.

Flagg admitted to making some mental errors during games and emphasised the need to be more aware of time and score situations. He aims to stay more defensively attached and prevent hot players from getting easy shots.

The upcoming season presents an opportunity for Flagg to refine his skills further as he continues adjusting to his new role on the team.