Cooper Flagg played the best game of his young career to date in the Mavericks’ 139-129 victory. His performance not only inspired his teammates, but also made history.
With his 22 points at the age of 18 years and 309 days, Flagg is the fifth-youngest player in NBA history to score more than 20 points in a game. Only Jermaine O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, and LeBron James were younger when they achieved this feat. Besides Kobe, the Mavs rookie is the only 18-year-old in history to have achieved this without a single turnover. “It feels great, I’m really euphoric,” Flagg said after the game. “We want to build on this game and use it as a benchmark. This team just has to keep growing and getting better,” he explained.
He was particularly pleased with the victory for the home fans, who had previously suffered two bitter defeats at the start of the season and had already expressed their displeasure. “The fans were there for the first three games, but today was, I think, the first time we really gave them something to be happy about,” Flagg explained.
Flagg shines in the decisive phase
The No. 1 pick shone especially in the decisive phase in the third quarter, when the Mavs turned a deficit into a double-digit lead with a 26-9 run. Flagg scored seven points during that stretch, dished out three assists, and electrified his team and the fans with a thunderous poster dunk plus foul. “When he gets the crowd going like that, it carries the whole team,” said D’Angelo Russell, who also had his best game in a Mavs jersey with 24 points. “Everyone wants him to play big, and when he performs like that, it’s just contagious.” Dallas now has two more home games coming up (OKC, Pacers) before traveling to Detroit and Houston for a short road trip.
