Cooper Flagg silencing critics by going old school as Mavericks challenge the norm

Cooper Flagg has entered the NBA at something of a turning point in the Association's rich history. The three-point revolution has won out and the Dallas Mavericks are among 30 teams attempting to figure out how to properly balance the unavoidable need to shoot threes with other elements of offensive execution.

While the three-point shot may be king for some, Flagg is proving that midrange jump shots and a two-point focus can still be the catalyst to success.

Flagg is turning in a strong rookie season. He's currently averaging 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.2 offensive boards, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.7 blocks, and 0.9 three-point field goals made per game while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 82.2 percent at the charity stripe.

Unfortunately, Flagg is also shooting just 25.3 percent from beyond the arc. It's especially alarming when one considers that he's attempting 3.5 threes per game.

Thankfully, Flagg appears to be learning from his mistakes and focusing on the positives as the Mavericks turn things around. Dallas has won four of its past five games and the No. 1 pick is playing a pivotal role in its success by prioritizing what works for him—no matter how counterculture it may seem.

By prioritizing midrange jump shots over threes, and points in the paint above all else, Flagg is providing a platform upon which the Mavericks can build their success.

Cooper Flagg prioritizes midrange Js, points in the paint when Mavs win

Dallas is currently 9-15 through 24 games. In the nine wins, 84.0 percent of Flagg's field goal attempts have been two-point field goals. By comparison, during the 15 losses, 68.9 percent of his attempts have been two-pointers—a difference of 15.1 percent.

Furthermore, Flagg scores 64.3 percent of his points in the paint during wins compared to a distant 50.0 percent during losses. That's another massive gap at 14.3 percent.

What may be most surprising of all, however, is that Flagg seems to prioritize midrange attempts over threes during wins. Between Dallas' nine victories, 11.1 percent of his points came from midrange jump shots compared to 7.5 percent from three-point field goals.

By comparison, 9.3 percent of Flagg's points are scored in the midrange compared to 22.2 percent from beyond the arc during losses.

It may go against everything the three-point revolution seemed to establish, but Flagg is a case study in nuance. Clearly, a player who can shoot both threes and midrange jumpers effectively should follow the numbers when the situation permits it.

If a player is as inefficient as Flagg when taking threes, however, the logical choice is to attempt shots that are more in line with what he's capable of.

It should thus come as no surprise that Flagg playing to his strengths is helping the Mavericks win games. It certainly helps that he's no longer asked to play out of position, but it's equally as intriguing and significant that he's differentiating between strengths and weaknesses so early in his career.

It may defy conventional wisdom in regard to how the modern game is played, but Flagg's old school approach is playing a direct role in the Mavericks' resurgent success.