Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg grew up rooting for the Boston Celtics while living in Maine, and on Friday night, he experienced his first game at TD Garden as Dallas faced Boston in a matchup that also marked the return of Jayson Tatum.
Boston secured a 120-100 victory, with Flagg finishing with 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and after the game, he was asked about the possibility of playing for the Celtics someday.
Flagg made his stance clear, saying he is happy where he is with the Mavericks.
“I love being a Maverick,” Flagg said. “You know, it’s home, and I don’t want anything else.”
He also reflected on how meaningful it was to compete in front of fans from his hometown, though he suggested he would be just as satisfied returning there as a visiting player.
“It was incredible to be able to play here,” he said. “Obviously, this is a place I came as a kid and got to watch. So I think it’s gonna be incredibly fun for the rest of my career, to come here and play in front of this crowd.”
Because the Mavericks and Celtics are in opposite conferences, they usually meet at each other’s arena only once each season unless they face off in the preseason or in the NBA Finals.
While speculation about a future move has cooled for now, the idea of Flagg eventually joining the Celtics cannot be ruled out—whether after his rookie deal and future extensions or through a trade, much like when Dallas dealt Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the league’s most shocking transactions.
Cooper Flagg Says TD Garden Energy Surged During Jayson Tatum’s Return
Jayson Tatum returned after a 10-month absence caused by a ruptured right Achilles tendon.
He started slowly but eventually found his rhythm, finishing with 15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 27 minutes.
When asked after the game whether the atmosphere in the arena matched his expectations, Cooper Flagg said it did.
“For sure,” he said. “I had a lot of people come in from back home, so just to have that experience was really cool. The energy was incredible, obviously, with Jayson coming back, but the energy was great. It’s an incredible environment and an incredible place to play.”
The Mavericks dropped their sixth straight game with the loss, falling to a 21-42 record.
They will next face the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, followed by the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday and the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday to close out a six-game road trip in which they have yet to record a win.
