This season couldn’t have started much worse for the Dallas Mavericks, but are things on the upturn with this newfound chemistry between Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg?
Davis and Flagg led the Mavericks to a tightly contested overtime victory against the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 19, and the veteran center couldn’t help but sing the praises of the 2025 No. 1 pick.
Anthony Davis’ Veteran Leadership for Cooper Flagg
In a video posted by Noah Weber on X (formerly Twitter), Davis explained, ‘Just constantly playing together, him making the right reads or me being in the right spot. He gets a lot of attention when he drives to the basket.’
‘Kind of just telling him he’s going to draw a crowd, so either don’t get it blocked and not get an offensive rebound, or you’ll have the dump-off.’
The veteran Davis is focused on, ‘Just getting him familiar with the game, and he’s learning pretty fast and making the right reads.’
Anthony Davis on his chemistry with Cooper Flagg:
“Just constantly playing together, him making the right reads or me being in the right spot. He gets a lot of attention when he drives to the basket and kinda just telling him he’s gonna draw a crowd, so either don’t get it… pic.twitter.com/CtPQIE98Py
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) December 19, 2025
It’s safe to say that Flagg has fitted seamlessly into the hustle and bustle of the NBA, showcasing his unique blend of speed, strength, and poise around the basket.
Just earlier this week, Flagg scored the most points by an 18-year-old in NBA history, topping the previous tally of 37 set by LeBron James on Dec. 13, 2003.
The 18-year-old has averaged 18.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.3 steals in 27 games this season, and Davis could be the key for the teenage sensation to reach a scary new level.
The 2020 NBA champion Davis is not the most durable player in the NBA, having played only 12 games so far this term due to niggling injuries, including, most recently, a calf strain.
If Davis can stay healthy and Flagg can continue to learn and adjust to one of the most elite big men in NBA history, they both have the skill sets that complement each other and can wreak havoc on NBA defenses.
Davis is elite in the paint, drawing double teams that can allow Flagg the spacing to drive to the basket or use his incredible basketball IQ to make the right read or pass. The pair has shown flashes of strong defensive chemistry in the short time they have played together, with Flagg’s quickness complementing Davis’ strong interior presence.
The Mavs sit with a sorry 11-17 record so far this season, but if Davis can stay healthy and Flagg continues to put on electrifying performances, can the Dallas Mavericks be in playoff contention in 2026?
