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2026-27 · Regular season
Dallas Mavericks beat Indiana Pacers 121-105 as Kyrie Irving scores 24 and Cooper Flagg leaves with a shoulder injury
Kyrie Irving scored 24 as the Mavericks led wire to wire and beat the Pacers 121-105. Cooper Flagg had 14 points in the first half but was ruled out with left shoulder soreness after a flagrant foul by Aaron Nesmith.
In this article
Kyrie Irving scored 24 points and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Indiana Pacers 121-105 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday, October 23, but lost Cooper Flagg to a left shoulder injury. Flagg had 14 points, 6 assists and 3 steals in 17 first-half minutes before a hard foul by Aaron Nesmith sent him to the locker room. The Mavericks ruled him out for the rest of the game with left shoulder soreness, and he is listed as day-to-day.
Dallas never trailed and led by as many as 37. Both teams are 1-1. It was Indiana’s home opener and Tyrese Haliburton’s first home game in 491 days.
Video: Dallas Mavericks / X.
How it turned
Flagg scored 12 points in the first quarter, including a floater, a 23-foot three and two free throws in the final two minutes, and he set up an Irving three. Dallas led 44-27 after one quarter. The Mavericks kept going in the second, and Pascal Siakam was given a technical with 2:05 left in the half.
With 59.7 seconds left before halftime, Nesmith fouled Flagg on a dunk attempt in transition. The officials called a flagrant 1, and Naji Marshall went at Nesmith, which led to a double technical. Flagg made both free throws for a 75-40 lead, then went to the bench. Dallas led 77-43 at halftime, and Flagg did not come out for the second half.
Indiana won the second half 62-44. A 16-4 run in the third quarter cut the deficit to 89-70, and Siakam scored 10 in the fourth, but the Pacers never got closer than 13.
Video: NBA / X.
The numbers
Irving made 5 of 10 threes. P.J. Washington had 20 points and 13 rebounds, Max Christie scored 16, Marshall had 15 points, 6 assists and 3 steals, and Zaccharie Risacher added 11 points and 3 blocks. Dallas blocked 11 shots and scored 31 points off Indiana’s 21 turnovers.
Indiana’s side
Siakam scored 23 but had 5 turnovers. Haliburton had 18 points and 7 assists and missed all four of his threes, Andrew Nembhard scored 16 and Obi Toppin 13. The Pacers shot 7-of-32 from three, and Kelly Oubre Jr. went 1-of-10 from the field. Indiana was without T.J. McConnell (hamstring), Ben Sheppard (knee) and Johnny Furphy (knee).
What’s next
The Mavericks host the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, October 24, at 8 p.m. ET (3 a.m. Sunday Cairo time), the second game of a back-to-back. The Pacers visit the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, October 25, at 6 p.m. ET (1 a.m. Monday Cairo time).
Full box score and play-by-play: Game Center. All-time head-to-head.
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