A year after losing Luka Dončić, the Mavs have better days ahead of them thanks to Cooper Flagg

HOUSTON — A disconcerted Cooper Flagg was the first Maverick out of the tunnel at halftime, using his right hand to slap his thigh, visibly frustrated with the way his team had turned a one-point game into an eight-point deficit in five minutes.

The fact that the 19-year-old led the procession to the Dallas locker room was not lost on the occasion, nor is it out of the ordinary. Leadership and poise are two of the words most commonly associated with the No. 1 choice when older, more experienced teammates are asked to describe Flagg. His broad shoulders and body language, telltale signs of the Mavericks’ mood, are no surprise halfway through his rookie season.

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But the sudden presence of everything else — the burning sense of urgency to win, the quick realization of momentum and, more profoundly, what’s expected of him — is why Dallas’ new leadership under Flagg inspires hope.

“I feel confident,” Flagg said after his 34-point, 12-rebound, 5-assist performance. a 111-107 loss to Houstonwhich is the fourth in the West. “Getting to my spots, making some shots. When I play with confidence and a downhill mentality, it’s really good for our team. The guys push me to be aggressive and I try to do what’s best for the team.”

A year ago, the Mavericks traded Luka Dončić to the Lakers in the middle of the nightarguably the most shocking transaction in NBA history. The above, everything Dončić brought – his gravitas, his preternatural offensive arsenal and his ability to raise a franchise’s ceiling – ushered in a new era of uncertainty for a Dallas team that was on the cusp of a title less than eight months prior. Anthony Davis, the centerpiece of the return, was immediately folded into then-general manager Nico Harrison’s grand divisive plans.

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But a long journey down the revisionist path is of no use. The Mavericks were never able to manifest their plans for a championship triumvirate; Kyrie Irving, offseason addition Klay Thompson and Davis have yet to play a game together. The basketball gods smiled on the Mavs, however. The ping pong balls fell on them and Flagg landed gracefully in their laps. Harrison was later removed from office.

Suddenly, Flagg became the symbol of despair. Despair of a Mavericks fanbase emotionally torn by the departure of one of their own and the arrival of something new. Desperation from a Dallas front office looking for a young centripetal force. NBA desperation looking for a new and exciting storyline.

For a teenager, the weight of expectations and anticipation can be overwhelming. But Flagg, who has scored 83 points in his last two games and is averaging 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists since Dec. 1, it’s obvious he’s no ordinary kid.

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“A lot of maturity and composure coming from him,” teammate Max Christie told Yahoo Sports. “He’s 19 years old, he’s already becoming a passionate leader on this team. It shows in his play but also in the way he carries himself in the locker room, in practice and so on. He’s been able to endure a lot and he’s been great for us. It’s very cool to see him evolve and blossom into the player we all know he can be.”

The Mavericks, who are now 13-15 over the past two months, continue to move away from the final play-in spot, currently occupied by the Los Angeles Clippers. But Dallas’ goals — or Flagg’s, at least — extend beyond the potential prospect of a playoff push.

Spend time with head coach Jason Kidd, and the level of passion, trust and care he gives to Flagg is evident. During games, Kidd can be seen with both hands in his pockets near midcourt, calmly calling occasional sets for Flagg to run using his fingers — knowing that ball retention is high on the rookie’s to-do list. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Mavericks commit nearly 3 percent fewer turnovers when Flagg is on the floor, an impact metric ranked in the 95th percentile.

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Flagg is an extremely skilled ball player who understands spacing, structure and his teammates. But as the weeks and months passed, Flagg became increasingly aware of sewhat he can and can’t do yet – and how to make the most of his unique skills. His assist-to-turnover ratio is positive, he encourages ball movement and operates in the flow of the offense. He may not be a traditional point guard — Kidd vehemently rebuffed early criticism of Flagg’s position and stormed out of Saturday’s postgame press conference — but it’s clear the rookie needs the ball in his hands more often than he needs it.