Cooper Flagg Set To Face Celtics For First Time In Career

There are a lot of unique things about Dallas Mavericks rookie phenom Cooper Flagg. One of those things is that Flagg hails from Maine, which is a rarity for anyone who’s ever played in the NBA.

As such, Flagg grew up a Boston Celtics fan, making Tuesday night’s Celtics-Mavs battle all the more special for the No. 1 overall pick.

Flagg has been on a tear recently, and he’s coming into his own as the front-runner for Rookie of the Year. After a record-inducing, 49-point performance against the Charlotte Hornets, the Duke product followed that up with a 34-point, 12-rebound masterclass against the Houston Rockets, becoming the first teenager to record back-to-back 30-point double-doubles.

For a New England kid, it’ll be surreal for Flagg to go up against the Celtics on Tuesday night at American Airlines Center.

Even more magical will be Flagg’s debut at TD Garden on March 6, which will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

There are a lot of basketball fans in Maine who will be secretly rooting for Cooper to dominate on both contests, while simultaneously hoping for a Celtics victory.