Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg delivered a historic performance Monday night, scoring a season-high 43 points with 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals to lead Dallas to a 125-122 victory over the Indiana Pacers. The win marked the Mavericks' third straight and improved their record to 7-4.
With the game on the line, Flagg hit a crucial mid-range jumper over Andrew Nembhard with 26 seconds remaining, putting Dallas up by four. The 19-year-old finished 16-of-25 from the field and became the first teenager in NBA history to record five 40-point games, matching the combined total of LeBron James (three) and Anthony Edwards (two). No other teenager has more than one such game.
Flagg also climbed to third all-time in points scored before turning 20, trailing only Kobe Bryant (1,759) and James (2,362). He joined Kevin Durant as the only teenagers with a 40-point, 10-rebound, five-assist game. Through 11 games, Flagg averages 25.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 2.2 steals, ranking 11th in scoring, 16th in assists and fifth in steals league-wide.
Crafty and efficient around the basket
Standing 6-foot-9, Flagg uses his size and uncommon pace to attack the rim in diverse ways. Against Indiana, he scored on isolation drives, transition dunks, closeout attacks, backdoor cuts, pick-and-roll finishes and a double-clutch left-handed finger roll. He averages six rim attempts per game, converting 61.7% — 20th among players with at least 50 attempts. His aggressiveness draws fouls; he shoots 90.3% from the free-throw line on 7.2 attempts per game, up from 4.9 as a rookie.
Mid-range mastery at a higher level
Offseason work on his mid-range game has paid immediate dividends. Flagg is shooting 48.8% from mid-range this season, up from 38% last year, and an astonishing 59.5% on off-the-dribble two-pointers (25-of-42). Among seven players with 40-plus such attempts, he leads in efficiency. Coach Dusty May praised Flagg's ability to "square in the air from 15, 17 feet" and get to his spots comfortably, allowing him to pace himself and avoid constant contact at the rim.
Three-point shot remains a work in progress
Despite his inside-the-arc dominance, Flagg's three-point percentage sits at 29.2% (30.8% catch-and-shoot, 31.6% off the dribble, 31.6% on wide-open looks). He shot 38.5% from deep in his lone season at Duke, and his 90% free-throw shooting suggests improvement is coming. "I still trust myself," Flagg said. "I'm gonna keep shooting it." May noted that Flagg's recent makes from beyond the arc, combined with his free-throw proficiency, enable performances like his 43-point outburst where "he did a little bit of everything."
