"Luka would never injure himself dunking": Mavericks fans panic as Cooper Flagg's awkward landing sparks massive concern

Cooper Flagg gave the Dallas Mavericks a massive injury scare during the team's 114-101 preseason win against the Utah Jazz on Monday. Mavericks fans had their hearts in their mouths when the former Duke phenom landed awkwardly after unleashing a highlight one-handed dunk.

The incident occurred with 9:24 remaining in the third quarter when Flagg caught a pass in transition and showcased his athletic ability. The 6-foot-9 forward completed the play with an emphatic slam but lost his footing upon landing. The rough landing caused Flagg to twist his left leg in an extremely awkward manner before he went down.

Flagg got up quickly with a teammate's support and ran to the other end of the floor. He remained in the game for a few more minutes before sitting out the entire fourth quarter. Mavericks fans stormed social media, sharing their concerns after Flagg’s awkward landing sparked widespread concern.

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"My precious Luka would never injure himself dunking," a fan said.

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Cooper Flagg played point guard for Dallas in win vs. Jazz

Cooper Flagg took on the role of point guard for the Dallas Mavericks on Monday. With D'Angelo Russell rested for the preseason contest, coach Jason Kidd seized the opportunity to see Flagg handle the ball. Kidd has been impressed by Flagg's performances, especially as a playmaker.

"When you look at what Cooper’s done here, it’s been really good," Kidd said before Monday's game. "We’ve put him in different situations - running the offense, running plays, playing off the ball. "There are things he has to improve. He’s not perfect yet, but being able to make plays and understand the game at a high level at 18 has been really cool to watch."

Flagg recorded just one assist against the Jazz while starting at the point guard position. Perhaps the biggest takeaway was that the rookie committed zero turnovers, a glaring improvement after turning the ball over five times in his previous outing against the Charlotte Hornets.

Edited by Atishay Jain