Nikola Jokic Praises Cooper Flagg After Nuggets' Loss to Mavericks

Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic recognized Cooper Flagg's incredible performance.

Dec 23, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) celebrates a three point basket during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at the American Airlines Center. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Denver Nuggets have been one of the NBA's best teams this season, but have now lost two of their last three games, most recently falling to the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks have been extremely underwhelming for most of the season, holding a 12-19 record, but first-overall pick Cooper Flagg had one of the best games of his rookie season to take down Denver.

Flagg finished the night with 33 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists on 14-21 shooting from the field and 4-6 from three-point range, nearly dropping the first triple-double of his career.

After the game, Nuggets' three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic had nothing but praise for the rookie forward.

"He was really good," Jokic said about Flagg. "He was really aggressive, going downhill. He opened the game really — he had like ten points, and then he made a couple shots and got himself more going. So he was definitely a hot hand out there. Just the poise that he plays with, it doesn't feel like he's so young out there. He seems like he's played meaningful games and he was winning before. That's my opinion. He looked really mature out there."

Cooper Flagg and Nikola Jokic duel it out

Cooper Flagg in WIN vs. Nuggets 🤯

33 PTS
9 REB
9 AST

Rook is hoopin 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fqNk40bTrw

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 24, 2025

This matchup between the Nuggets and Mavericks made for an incredible game, not only because of Flagg's performance, which made everyone remember why he was the first overall pick. The Nuggets stormed back from an early 21-point deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter, but Peyton Watson's buzzer-beating game-winner attempt rimmed out and left Denver just short.

The Nuggets were led by Jokic and Jamal Murray, who combined for 60 points, while they each dropped 14 assists and seven rebounds.

Unfortunately for the Nuggets, though, they could not stop the Mavericks' frontcourt. We know what Flagg did in arguably his best game as a rookie, but star big man Anthony Davis could not be stopped either. Davis finished with 31 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals on 12-19 shooting, as the new duo carried the Mavericks to the upset win in Denver.

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