Kidd: ‘Poor’ referees overlooked foul incidents involving Cooper Flagg
HOUSTON — Following his achievement of setting a franchise rookie scoring record, Cooper Flagg scored an additional 34 points on Saturday night. However, his coach expressed frustration after the game that Flagg was not given the chance to score a few more points from the free throw line when the game was on the line.
After the Mavericks’ 111-107 defeat to the Houston Rockets, Dallas coach Jason Kidd criticized the referees for failing to call a foul on Flagg’s drive to the basket in the closing moments. Flagg missed a layup during that play that could have tied the game with 25 seconds left.
“I saw a foul,” Kidd stated. “[Officials] Sean [Wright], Simone [Jelks] and Jason [Goldenberg] were terrible tonight. The officiating was unacceptable. It’s a foul, and he should be at the free throw line. Whether he makes both is up to him, but the referees did not perform their duties. They were poor.”
Flagg followed his 49-point outing in Thursday’s home defeat to the Charlotte Hornets — the highest-scoring game ever by an NBA teenager — by excelling off the dribble once more. He shot 13-of-25 from the field against the Rockets, including 11-of-17 in the paint.
As per ESPN Research, Flagg’s 50 points in the paint against the Hornets and Rockets represent the highest total by a rookie over a two-game stretch since the play-by-play era began in 1997-98.
“He’s figured it out,” said Rockets star Kevin Durant. “He knows that he’s difficult to stop.”
On the play that frustrated Kidd, Flagg drove with a left-hand dribble down the center of the court against Rockets defender Amen Thompson. Flagg attempted a left-handed layup amidst traffic, falling to the floor as it failed to go in.
“I definitely felt some contact, but at the end of the day, the refs are the ones making the call, so it is what it is,” Flagg remarked, who concluded the game with 12 rebounds and five assists alongside his 34 points, becoming the only teenager to achieve consecutive 30-point double-doubles. “It’s tough. You just have to play through it. It’s part of the game. It’s not the first time I’ve missed calls, and it likely won’t be the last. So whatever happens, just have to keep playing through it.”
Flagg was 7-of-10 from the free throw line against the Rockets, a team recognized for its physical defense. This marks only the fifth occasion this season that Flagg, who averages 4.5 free throws per game, has attempted double-digit free throws in a single game.
“He’s going to keep pushing until they blow the whistle,” Kidd said. “There are many fouls missed with this young man. Perhaps they just aren’t familiar with his game yet, but that’s who he is. He will continue to drive. He won’t get discouraged. Tonight he backed up what he did the other night — putting his team in a position to win or tie the game.”
Flagg has not publicly voiced complaints about officiating all season — and has yet to receive a technical foul in the NBA — but he valued his coach’s readiness to advocate for him.
“I feel like JK has a lot of trust in me, and I have a lot of trust in him,” Flagg said. “And so just building that relationship, I feel that we’re continuing to strengthen our bond. That’s just having my back.”
