Dallas Mavericks forward Najee Marshall pays tribute to rookie teammate Cooper Flagg before the Mavericks' matchup with the Boston Celtics on Friday night at TD Garden.
As Dallas prepares to face off against Boston in under an hour on ESPN, Marshall steps onto the court for pregame warmups wearing a custom T-shirt honoring Flagg's New England roots. The shirt features a graphic of a pine tree as well as the phrase "In the Flag We Trust" – a nod to the state of Maine, where the flag grew up.
Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News shared an image of Marshall's shirt on X, formerly known as Twitter, highlighting the moment before Flagg's Boston homecoming.
The game marks a notable milestone in Flagg's rookie season as the 19-year-old forward plays in front of an area crowd familiar with his rise. The Maine native has quickly emerged as a central part of the Mavericks' future during his first NBA campaign.
Here in Boston, a Nazi marshal wears this t-shirt in honor of the Cooper Flag's homecoming.
"In the Flag We Trust." 🌲 pic.twitter.com/5JFXVoTjaz
- Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) 6 March 2026
Flagg returned to action Thursday night after missing nearly a month with a left foot sprain. In Dallas' 115–114 loss to the Orlando Magic, he recorded 18 points, six assists, five rebounds, four blocks and one steal while playing 26 minutes.
Nazi Marshall honors Cooper Flagg's Boston homecoming as Mavs face Celtics
Through 50 games this season, Flagg has averaged 20.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per contest, while shooting 47.8% from the field and 30.1% from three-point range. His all-around production has made him one of the Mavericks' most consistent contributors during a challenging season.
Dallas enters Friday's matchup with a 21-41 record while battling several injuries on its roster. Despite the setbacks, the Mavericks have continued to give extended opportunities to young players like Flagg as they evaluate their long-term core.
Meanwhile, Boston has a 41-21 record and is in second place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Celtics also welcome back star forward Jayson Tatum, who returns from an Achilles injury suffered during last year's postseason.
Friday's game at TD Garden represents a homecoming moment for Flagg and another opportunity for the rookie to continue the momentum in his first season.
