Three superstars, including a certain Cooper Flagg, three monster scoring nights. Here are some notables from Tuesday’s busy NBA slate:
Cooper Flagg Makes Teenage History in Mavericks Win
Cooper Flagg is only 19, but he is already playing like a seasoned star. The Dallas Mavericks phenom torched the Indiana Pacers for 43 points on the night, to go with 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals in a 125-122 win. He scored 30 of those points in the second half as Dallas erased a 13-point deficit.
With that, Flagg became only the second teenager in NBA history to post a 40-10-5 game, joining Kevin Durant, who did it in 2008. It was also his fifth career 40-point game. What’s more, he has now scored 259 points through his first 10 games of a season, tying the most ever by a teenager. Kyrie Irving did his part with 35 points on 7-for-10 shooting from distance.
Victor Wembanyama Goes Nuclear Off the Bench… Err, in 25 Minutes
Victor Wembanyama needed just 25 minutes to put on a show. The San Antonio Spurs big man finished with 40 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 blocks while shooting 15-for-19 overall in a 122-96 blowout of the Phoenix Suns. He had 22 points and 5 blocks by halftime, and the game was pretty much over before the third quarter was a few minutes old.
The numbers are historic. Wembanyama is just the second player since minutes tracking began in 1951–52 to score 40 or more points in under 26 minutes, joining Sleepy Floyd, who did it in 1991. The win is also the Spurs’ ninth straight, a remarkable turnaround from an 0-2 start, and it continues a dominant stretch for Wemby that includes a recent 52-point, 24-rebound game.
Anthony Davis Explodes… in a Loss
Anthony Davis came back from an ankle issue and played like he never left, but it was not enough. The Washington Wizards big man poured in 44 points on 16-for-21 shooting along with 13 rebounds, only to see his team fall to the Detroit Pistons, 122-111.
Davis was white-hot early, scoring 30 points in the first half on 10-for-11 shooting. That is the highest first-half total by any player this season. Unfortunately for Washington, its defense let it down and its 18 turnovers did the rest.
