Cooper Flagg Gives His Perspective on "Fire Nico" Chants After Witness Mavericks Fans Outrage For the First Time 

NBA: Washington Wizards at Dallas Mavericks - Source: Imagn
NBA: Washington Wizards at Dallas Mavericks - Source: Imagn

The Dallas Mavericks suffered a shocking 117–107 loss to the Washington Wizards on Friday, dropping to 0–2 to start the 2025–2026 season. The fans' frustration was evident as the American Airlines Center erupted with “Fire Nico” chants, voicing their dissatisfaction toward general manager Nico Harrison.

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For Cooper Flagg, it was only his second professional game, yet he found himself surrounded by a hostile home crowd. Despite the tense atmosphere, Flagg revealed being focused. In fact, he explained afterward that he could barely even hear the enraged supporters.

“I'm just locked in on the game,” Flagg told reporters. “I didn't even hear those. I'm listening to coach, listening to the guys on the team, the vets. Just trying to figure out as many ways as I can to help the team impact the game in a positive way. I try to tune all that stuff out.”
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Anthony Davis once again led the pack, putting up a double-double with 27 points and 13 rebounds. There was also another positive takeaway for the Mavericks as Cooper Flagg showed drastic improvements.

The rookie looked more comfortable on the floor, finishing with 18 points on 42.9% shooting, along with five rebounds, six assists, and two combined steals + blocks.

Jason Kidd believes fans' frustrations are justified as Cooper Flagg and co. suffer back-to-back losses

A talented roster, including Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, D’Angelo Russell, Cooper Flagg, and several strong role players, should be competing for championships. But starting the season 0-2, with one of those losses coming against a struggling Washington Wizards team, has left fans frustrated.

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Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd agrees that the disappointment is justified. However, he also asked fans to stay patient while the team finds its rhythm with multiple new pieces.

“This is a different team. This is a new team. We are just getting to understand each other. We will keep learning each other. I would say be patient. But I understand the frustration,” Kidd said. “We all want to win. We all want to compete at a high level. This is a game of expression. Fans have a right to express themselves. That doesn’t stop us from coming to work tomorrow and getting better and getting ready for Sunday.”

Later next week, Cooper Flagg and co. will face last season’s finalists, the OKC Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, in consecutive games. To build confidence and momentum before those matchups, the team needs to find its rhythm and get its first win on the board against the Toronto Raptors on Oct 26.

Washington Wizards Nation! You can check out the latest Washington Wizards Schedule and dive into the Wizards Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.

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Edited by Advait Jajodia
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