Cooper Flagg made NBA history on Saturday night. The Dallas Mavericks rookie became the youngest player ever to score 35 points in a game, leading his team to a 114-110 comeback win over the Los Angeles Clippers. He accomplished the feat at 18 years and 343 days old, five days younger than LeBron James was when he first reached 35 in 2003.
Flagg shot 13-for-22 from the field, added eight rebounds, and controlled large stretches of his 20th NBA game. His performance also pushed the Mavericks out of a three-game losing streak.
Kidd and Thompson Praise Flagg’s Poise
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd didn’t hold back when asked about the rookie’s performance. “He’s only 18 years old, but he seems like he’s been in this league before,” Kidd said. He highlighted Flagg’s ability to run the offense, attack the paint, and rise to late-game pressure. “Just his composure on both ends [impressed me]. He competes at a very high level.”
Flagg had also impressed one night earlier against LeBron James and the Lakers, when he delivered 11 assists, the most ever by an 18-year-old in an NBA game. His teammate Klay Thompson echoed the praise. “Cooper’s upside is limitless,” Thompson said. “He has every tool to be great. Sometimes I can’t believe he should be a freshman in college.”
Aggression Fuels Flagg’s Breakthrough
Flagg stayed aggressive throughout the game, punctuating his night with a powerful dunk over Ivica Zubac. He credited Kidd for pushing him to stay in attack mode. “Being aggressive right now is obviously right for me, and that’s what Coach has stressed to me,” Flagg said. He added that he must trust his work and live with the mistakes that come with playing boldly.
Thompson delivered a clutch performance of his own. He hit four three-pointers in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead shot with 1:51 remaining. He scored 23 points, with 17 in the final period.
Clippers Continue to Struggle
Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 30 points and eight rebounds. James Harden added 29 points, 11 assists, and eight boards. John Collins scored 21, and Zubac posted 19 points and 11 rebounds. Despite strong individual efforts, Los Angeles fell to 5-15 and lost its seventh straight home game at Intuit Dome.
Dallas improved to 6-15 by forcing 18 turnovers and scoring 20 points off them, with Flagg’s historic night steering the win.