With the Dallas Mavericks entering the match on a 14-game losing streak at home, the American Airlines Center finally got a taste of victory, as the Mavs carved out a 134-128 win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday.
Rookie sensation Cooper Flagg, who dropped a career-high 51 points in his last outing, followed it up with a dazzling stat line of 45 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists in the win.
“It’s definitely some sort of statement. I’m confident in myself, I know what I’m capable of, I’ll just let the rest of the stuff figure itself out,” Flagg said postgame.
Cooper Flagg Continues to Shatter Records
In a span of two games, the rookie forward registered a total of 96 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists. Despite a tough stretch for Dallas, Flagg continues to shatter records, becoming the first NBA rookie to average 45 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists over a two-game span since Allen Iverson.
Additionally, Flagg is one of just six rookies in history to score at least 45 on three occasions, joining legends such as Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
With the season coming to a close in just two weeks, Flagg has now seemingly surpassed fellow college teammate Kon Knueppel as the Rookie of the Year favorite, averaging 20.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per contest.
LeBron James Flirts with Triple-Double in First Game without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves
With all the pressure on the King once again, LeBron James continued to carry the heavy load in his 23rd season, tallying 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 15 assists in LA’s first game without the duo of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, who have both been shut down for the rest of the season due to injuries.
Despite the loss, six Lakers in total were still able to score in double figures, including newcomer Luke Kennard, who notched his first career triple-double with 15 points, 16 rebounds, and 11 assists.
The Mavs will look to make it two in a row when they face the LA Clippers on Wednesday, while the Lakers return to action the same day against the reigning champions, the OKC Thunder.
