Bulls get first look at Mavs rookie sensation Cooper Flagg

Bulls forward Matas Buzelis is in the midst of arguably his best stretch as a pro, averaging 18.3 points and five rebounds in his last 18 games entering the Bulls’ matchup Saturday against the Mavericks.

With guard Coby White (strained calf) being in-and-out of the lineup and guard Josh Giddey (hamstring) sidelined, Buzelis has picked up more of an offensive responsibility. His easygoing demeanor, however, allows him to deal with the pressures that come with being an NBA player.

The matchup against the Mavs, though, had some extra juice. After smiling during the first couple of questions directed his way, Buzelis’ face went blank when he was asked about Mavs rookie Cooper Flagg.

‘‘Um, we’re cool,’’ Buzelis said before the game. ‘‘But we’re gonna battle, and he knows that, too.’’

Buzelis and Flagg were two years apart in high school before Flagg reclassified to the Class of 2024. Buzelis said he gave Flagg his tour of Brewster Academy, a boarding school in New Hampshire, but Flagg ultimately enrolled at Montverde (Florida) Academy, one of the best prep schools in the country, before turning pro after spending one season at Duke.

In the NBA, one player can change the fortune of a franchise. The Mavs seemed destined to be a moribund team after dealing superstar Luka Doncic to the Lakers at the trade deadline last season, but lottery luck enabled them to draft Flagg No. 1 overall in June and bring hope and optimism back to Dallas.

There was a sizable contingent of Mavs fans near where the players entered from the locker room at the United Center, many of them wearing Flagg jerseys. Flagg entered the game averaging 19.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists.

Flagg has lived up to his top-pick billing so far, and Buzelis drew the assignment of guarding him for long stretches. Flagg is physical on drives to the basket, and his mid-range game has developed into a threat.

‘‘The first thing that stands out is just his competitiveness and how hard he competes and plays,’’ Bulls coach Billy Donovan said of Flagg. ‘‘Like any young player, the skill set [will] only get better over a period of time. But he’s obviously coming in with a great foundation. I’ve heard great things about him all the way around.

‘‘Like any rookie, you go through these learning curves. But I think he’s got a chance to be a special player in the league.’’

The Bulls hope Buzelis’ recent stretch signals an ascension into becoming an upper-echelon star. He represents the Bulls’ best chance at developing an elite player.

‘I felt like it was gonna be canceled’

Buzelis was loose and talking with his teammates during the nearly two-hour delay before the Bulls’ game Thursday against the Heat was postponed because of condensation on the court.

‘‘I felt like it was gonna be canceled,’’ he said. ‘‘There’s no way you could fix that [court], so [I was] just trying to stay engaged. It felt like there was grease everywhere.’’

Injury report

• Forward Jalen Smith was back after clearing the concussion protocol. His return was a boost for the Bulls because they have missed the double-big-man lineups they had started tinkering with.

• Guard Kevin Huerter returned after he was scheduled to sit out the game against the Heat because of tightness in his back.