Celtics fans won’t have to wait long for another chance to see Cooper Flagg in green-adjacent enemy territory.
The Boston Celtics’ 2026-27 schedule release has already started turning up a few dates worth circling, and the Nov. 15 game against the Dallas Mavericks is right near the top of that list. It’s a Sunday night tip at 6 p.m., and it will be the second time 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg faces the team he grew up loving.
When Dallas selected the Maine native last June, Celtics fans had a couple of reactions at once: a little jealousy, sure, but also real pride in seeing one of their own make that kind of leap. The first meeting between Flagg and Boston last season turned into a major draw when the league unveiled the schedule.
Back then, New England fans were going to fill TD Garden just to see Flagg in an NBA game for the first time, no matter what the circumstances looked like. There was plenty of uncertainty around the Celtics at the time, too, after Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet had all moved on.
By the time Mar. 6 arrived, the setting had changed completely. Boston was playing well, Jayson Tatum was back after the torn Achilles he suffered in the 2025 playoffs, and the night had the kind of buzz you usually associate with the NBA Finals.
Seriously. I covered that game and there was more media at TD Garden than I’ve ever seen.
This time, the spotlight figures to land squarely on Flagg. He’s still got two years left on his rookie deal, and it would be a surprise if Dallas didn’t lock him into a max rookie extension before that runs out. Then again, maybe Flagg has bigger plans tucked away for later.
I know we’re all thinking about it, that’s for sure.
Even without the spotlight in March, the TD Garden experience was a selling point for what a future with the Celtics could look like, if he ever needs one. Every trip Flagg makes back to Boston gives Celtics fans another shot to make their pitch.
Be nice to him. Talk up the Northeast. Play the long game.
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