It’s been almost a year since the landscape-shifting trade between the Lakers and the Mavericks that sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles. While Luka is currently leading the league in scoring and anchoring his MVP case for the Lakers, the trade is widely viewed as a landslide victory for L.A. However, there is a silver lining for Dallas, the fallout from that move inadvertently helped the Mavericks secure the first overall pick and land Cooper Flagg. This week, Flagg proved exactly why he was worth the teardown in a heart-stopping 123-121 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
Flagg exploded for a career-high 49 points and 10 rebounds, marking the first time an NBA rookie has recorded a 49/10 game since Michael Jordan. At just 19 years old, Flagg’s 49 points are the most by any teenager in NBA history, making him the youngest of only 13 rookies to ever hit that scoring threshold. But the story didn’t end with Flagg; across the court was his former Duke teammate and roommate, Kon Knueppel. The fourth overall pick finished with a career-high 34 points, including the game-winning free throws that secured the Hornets’ fifth consecutive victory.
Flagg and Knueppel Smash Regulation Scoring Records
The 83 combined points scored by the two rookies are the third-most in a regulation game in NBA history. To find higher combined rookie scoring outputs, you have to go back 55 and 66 years: Tiny Archibald and Pete Maravich combined for 91 points in 1971, and Wilt Chamberlain and Johnny Green combined for 85 back in 1960.
Beyond the raw scoring, this duel established a statistical unicorn. It is the only game in NBA history, veterans included, where two players combined for the following stat line:
- 80+ total points
- 11 three-pointers made
- 66% combined field goal shooting
- 100% free throw shooting (Flagg 6/6, Knueppel 6/6)
- 2 or fewer combined turnovers
Seeing two players under 21, who spent a year living and playing together at Duke, produce this kind of efficiency while trading buckets is simply unprecedented. Knueppel eventually got the best of his friend, forcing a Flagg turnover in the final seconds to seal the win, but the message was sent: the future of the league has arrived.
ROTY Watch: Knueppel’s Historic Shooting vs. Flagg’s All-around Dominances
As we approach the All-Star break, the Rookie of the Year race has effectively become a two-horse sprint. While Knueppel has been a flamethrower for Charlotte, becoming the first player in history to record 150+ points and 30+ threes in his first 10 games, Flagg’s case rests on his workload.
Flagg is currently leading the Mavericks in points and minutes, while sitting second in both assists and rebounds. He is the engine of the Dallas offense, whereas Knueppel is rewriting the record books as the fastest player to reach 50 and 100 career threes (achieved in his 15th and 29th games, respectively).
The depth of this class doesn’t stop there. Dylan Harper (Spurs) and VJ Edgecombe (Sixers) are also playing at an elite level, ensuring that the Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star weekend will be a bloodbath. With Flagg going #1 to Team Melo and Knueppel going #2 to Team T-Mac in the Rising Stars draft, we are already guaranteed a rematch of the “Duke Duel” on a national stage.
Read the full article here
