Cooper Flagg's clutch failure is all part of the Mavericks' master plan

The Dallas Mavericks suffered their league-leading 25th clutch loss in a narrow 138–131 overtime defeat to the LA Clippers on Saturday night. Even so, they had a chance to win in regulation, and the ball ended up in Cooper Flagg’s hands. That wasn’t by accident. Head Coach Jason Kidd has made it a point to put Flagg in those situations to prepare him for what’s to come.

It’s that time of year. With less than a month to go and playoff hopes all but gone, the Mavericks have little left to lose. The focus has shifted to what comes next, and that’s exactly what Kidd meant when he said, “That’s the No. 1 thing, you have those types of opportunities at this time of the year…”

Cooper Flagg is growing into the Mavericks' closer they need

It’s not necessarily about winning. Cooper Flagg missing the potential game-winner hardly mattered, and in some ways, it may have even benefited Dallas, keeping them sixth in the draft order. What mattered more was the experience.

Flagg hasn’t hit a game-winner yet this season, but that’s not a bad thing. At just 19 years old, the former No. 1 overall pick has already taken the reins as Dallas’ top option. With that comes responsibility, and late-game shot-making is quickly becoming part of the job.

Yet as the youngest player in the NBA, Flagg has often deferred to veterans like Khris Middleton in late-game moments. Considering Middleton leads the Mavericks in clutch scoring per game and is shooting 66.7 percent in those situations, it makes sense — at least on the surface.

But Middleton isn’t the answer. He’s a talented veteran, yes, but at 34, he’s not part of the Mavericks’ long-term future. Middleton can provide guidance and even serve as a shotmaker in certain situations, yet relying on a soon-to-be 35-year-old during a throwaway season is futile. That’s why Flagg, though less efficient at this stage, is being entrusted with go-ahead shots.

Flagg is shooting 45.0 percent in clutch situations. That might sound low, but it’s on par with stars like Devin Booker (45.8), Luka Doncic (46.3), and James Harden (45.6), and even ahead of Jalen Brunson (44.3), Jaylen Brown (44.8), and Donovan Mitchell (37.9).

Still, unlike the stars mentioned earlier, Flagg is fresh-faced and relatively untested in do-or-die situations. Giving the Duke product this responsibility now will only help shape his ceiling. As his clutch shooting shows, he’s already approaching the level of some of the NBA’s elite. Counting on him to knock down late-game shots and capitalize on these moments is a step toward accelerating his growth.