Bulls Face Off Against Mavericks, Cooper Flagg Looms Large
The Chicago Bulls' recent surge has been led by forward Matas Buzelis, who's averaging 18.3 points and five rebounds over his last 18 games. With guard Coby White's calf issues and Josh Giddey's hamstring injury sidelining key contributors, Buzelis has taken on a greater scoring responsibility. However, when asked about rookie sensation Cooper Flagg before the game against the Mavericks, Buzelis remained tight-lipped.
Flagg, who was drafted first overall by the Mavs in June, brings hope and optimism to Dallas after the team traded away superstar Luka Doncic at the trade deadline last season. The young forward has lived up to expectations, averaging 19.1 points, six rebounds, and four assists per game. Buzelis, who drew the assignment of guarding Flagg for long stretches, acknowledged his competitor's drive and competitiveness.
"Bulls coach Billy Donovan said that Flagg's first thing that stands out is his competitiveness, how hard he competes and plays," a source stated. "Like any young player, his skill set will only get better over time, but he's coming in with a great foundation."
Buzelis' recent stretch has the Bulls hoping for an ascension to stardom. As their best chance at developing an elite player, Buzelis is looking to continue his hot form against Flagg and the Mavericks.
On the other hand, Flagg and the Mavs had fans on their feet as a sizable contingent donned Flagg jerseys near the players' entrance from the locker room. The United Center erupted in cheers when Flagg entered the game, and Buzelis drew praise for his defensive performance against the young star.
"Like any rookie, there are going to be learning curves," Donovan said of Flagg. "But I think he's got a chance to be a special player in the league."
The Chicago Bulls' recent surge has been led by forward Matas Buzelis, who's averaging 18.3 points and five rebounds over his last 18 games. With guard Coby White's calf issues and Josh Giddey's hamstring injury sidelining key contributors, Buzelis has taken on a greater scoring responsibility. However, when asked about rookie sensation Cooper Flagg before the game against the Mavericks, Buzelis remained tight-lipped.
Flagg, who was drafted first overall by the Mavs in June, brings hope and optimism to Dallas after the team traded away superstar Luka Doncic at the trade deadline last season. The young forward has lived up to expectations, averaging 19.1 points, six rebounds, and four assists per game. Buzelis, who drew the assignment of guarding Flagg for long stretches, acknowledged his competitor's drive and competitiveness.
"Bulls coach Billy Donovan said that Flagg's first thing that stands out is his competitiveness, how hard he competes and plays," a source stated. "Like any young player, his skill set will only get better over time, but he's coming in with a great foundation."
Buzelis' recent stretch has the Bulls hoping for an ascension to stardom. As their best chance at developing an elite player, Buzelis is looking to continue his hot form against Flagg and the Mavericks.
On the other hand, Flagg and the Mavs had fans on their feet as a sizable contingent donned Flagg jerseys near the players' entrance from the locker room. The United Center erupted in cheers when Flagg entered the game, and Buzelis drew praise for his defensive performance against the young star.
"Like any rookie, there are going to be learning curves," Donovan said of Flagg. "But I think he's got a chance to be a special player in the league."
! And Buzelis has been doing his best to match that intensity on defense 
. It's awesome that Flagg is getting such a great foundation from Billy Donovan - that's gotta be a huge boost for him as he grows into his role 
. Can't wait to see how this young player develops and what the future holds for him! 
, and it was mind-blowing! The way these artists transform abandoned buildings into vibrant works of art is insane. You know who else could do that with basketball? I mean, Cooper Flagg's game has me hyped, but have you seen his dunks?! 
They're like something out of a Tokyo street art video 
... wait, what was I saying? Oh yeah, Flagg's competitiveness is for real! My cat just knocked over my coffee cup, and now I'm staring at this lukewarm brew 
️. Anyway, back to basketball – how do you think the Mavericks' front office handles rookie phenoms like Flagg?
so like i was watching this game and i gotta say matas buzelis is on fire right now 
but at the same time cooper flagg is looking super promising 
and it's awesome to see him getting all that hype from the fans 
but what really caught my attention was how he handled himself under pressure on the court 
he stayed calm and composed even when matas buzelis was trying to shut him down 
i mean, matas buzelis is doing alright for himself but let's see how long it takes him to cool off before we start calling him a superstar 
and what's with the mavs giving up luka doncic? did they really think they were getting better by trading away their star player? 
flagg is literally bringing life to dallas and i love it!! buzelis is doing his thing but let's be real, flagg is the real rookie of the year candidate 
. But, at the same time, Matas Buzelis is on fire right now 
, and I think he's going to be a key player in the Bulls' success. I'm intrigued by how Billy Donovan sees Flagg developing – does he really have that special something? 
19.1 points already? that's crazy 
like how he's got this competitive edge & foundation that's gonna take him far in his career 
. i love how coach donovan is hyping up flagg tho 
like "special player"? 
we'll see about that! 
I feel you, Bulls fans are super hyped about Matas Buzelis taking on more scoring responsibility with Coby White and Josh Giddey out... it's like your team is putting all its eggs in one basket 
. But seriously, Cooper Flagg is looking like a total game-changer for the Mavericks! That rookie has got some serious skills 
. What's your take on this matchup, Bulls fans? Feeling good about Buzelis stepping up or are you worried about the team's depth? 
and it's clear that Billy Donovan believes in his potential 
. Buzelis did an awesome job keeping him in check 
. Can't wait to see more of this young star shine 
️! The Bulls' recent surge might be a result of Buzelis stepping up his game 
. Matas Buzelis taking on more scoring responsibility makes sense, especially with Coby White and Josh Giddey out 
. But Cooper Flagg is where it's at 
. Billy Donovan seems to see that too 
!
. btw what's with all the praise for coop? isn't he still a rookie 
... plus his team traded away their superstar last season, that's gotta hurt or help or something 
i was so hyped when he came into the game and the crowd went wild !! 
and can we talk about how cool it is that he's already getting praise from coach donovan ???? like, he's only a rookie and he's already showing signs of being a star player ??? what a dream come true for mavs fans !! 