Cooper Flagg doesn't seem to be suffering any sort of sophomore slump. Through five games, he's averaging 26.8 points on 55.7% shooting, 6.0 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 2.6 steals. Talking heads like Kendrick Perkins are already anointing the Mavericks forward as a top-10 player in the league.
One of the few areas where Flagg has seemingly not shown improvement in Year 2 is his 3-point shooting. From 29.5% last year, he's actually down to 27% this year. However, Mavericks coach Dusty may believes Flagg is on the cusp of exploding in that area of his game as well.
“He’s really close to breaking out on his threes. He's had a couple games where he's shot several that look like they're going in that just haven't dropped, so it's just a matter of time,” May said on Flagg.
Flagg failed to hit a single 3-pointer in a game for the first time this season last time out against the Houston Rockets (0 of 4). But he filled the stat sheet in every other category, as he dropped 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting, with nine rebounds, six assists, two steals, and a block in a 116-111 Mavs win.
Article Continues BelowWhile waiting for his long-range shooting to come around, Flagg can still affect the game in so many other ways. May noted his unselfishness and passing ability as two such aspects.
Flagg's fine overall play has powered the Mavs' three-game winning streak. When he finally does break out a consistent 3-point shot as May confidently predicts, the Mavs could end being a legitimate playoff contender even in the competitive Western Conference.