The Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg was unable to finish Friday’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers after a hard foul from Aaron Nesmith forced him to leave the game early. Mavericks forward Naji Marshall came to the second-year star’s defense during the on-court confrontation and reaffirmed his support for his teammate after the game.

When asked why he stood up for Flagg, Marshall said that his reaction came naturally because of the time they spend together on and off the court.

“Just standing up for my teammate. I hang with him every day, so it just made sense,” Marshall said via James Boyd of The Athletic.

However, when asked whether he considered Nesmith’s play dirty, Marshall avoided making a direct accusation against the Pacers forward.

“It was what it was. Just part of the game,” he added.

The incident occurred late in the second quarter when Flagg intercepted a pass and raced toward the basket for a breakaway dunk. Nesmith challenged him from behind, making hard contact that sent Flagg crashing to the floor and landing awkwardly on his left shoulder.

Marshall immediately confronted Nesmith, sparking a brief shoving match between the players. Officials subsequently upgraded Nesmith’s foul to a flagrant-1, while both Nesmith and Marshall received technical fouls for their involvement in the altercation.

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Flagg was ruled out for the remainder of the game with left shoulder soreness. Before leaving the game, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year recorded 14 points, five rebounds, six assists and three steals in 17 minutes of action.

The injury raised concerns about the former No. 1 overall pick’s availability for Dallas’ upcoming game. Meanwhile, head coach Dusty May confirmed that Flagg was dealing with left shoulder soreness and said he “will be evaluated” over the next couple of days.

Despite losing Flagg early, Dallas secured a 16-point victory over Indiana, led by Kyrie Irving’s 24 points. PJ Washington also played a key role in the win, finishing with a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds.