Mavericks' Cooper Flagg: Will play Thursday

Flagg (foot) will play in Thursday's game against the Magic, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The expectation is that Flagg will have a minutes restriction in his return from an eight-game absence with a left mid-foot sprain. The rookie No. 1 overall pick could see more usage in Friday's matchup in Boston if he responds well after Thursday's tilt, but it's also possible he'll be rested for the second night of a back-to-back set after a lengthy absence. Flagg was on fire in his last six appearances before going down, averaging 32.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.2 blocks in 35.7 minutes per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the floor.