Cooper Flagg delivered a career-defining performance as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 114-110 on Saturday November 29, as the rookie scored 35 points on 13-of-22 shooting, showing a level of confidence the team has desperately needed.
Flagg’s aggressive offensive display marked a turning point for the Mavericks as his 35 points and 22 shot attempts set new career highs, highlighting his readiness to take over months after being taken first overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.
In the absence of key contributors and lead the team during critical moments of the game, the Mavericks had initially tried Flagg at point guard, but the experiment was unsuccessful as he struggled for consistency.
As a result, head coach Jason Kidd and the team moved him back to his natural forward position, allowing the teenager to focus on his scoring abilities while still contributing defensively at both ends of the floor.
With Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving sidelined, and PJ Washington injured during warm-ups, Flagg had to carry the offensive load and he, unsurprisingly, embraced the responsibility, attacking aggressively and keeping Dallas competitive throughout.
Flagg’s two-way ability was evident, as he contributed both offensively and defensively and due to the impressive outing, the 18-year-old may have more opportunities to lead the Mavericks‘ offense. He is Luka Doncic‘s successor after all.
Flagg eclipses LeBron James in Dallas
Flagg entered NBA history with his performance against the Clippers as at 18 years and 343 days, he became the youngest player ever to score 30-plus points in a game, by reaching 35, putting him ahead of LeBron James and Michael Jordan.
Flagg scored efficiently at all three levels, attacked switches in the paint, and maintained pressure even as the Clippers deployed extra defenders to slow him down during critical stretches of the game.
His supreme talent on show, the youngster was practically impossible as he received support from Klay Thompson, who contributed 23 points. Thompson also added 17 points in the fourth quarter, helping Dallas outscore Los Angeles 31-27 in the final stretch.
The Clippers performed strongly individually, with Kawhi Leonard scoring 30 points on 10-of-20 shooting and James Harden adding 29 points with 11 assists but it wasn’t enough to overcome Flagg‘s efforts.
Dallas improved to 6-15 with the win, while the Clippers fell to 5-15, extending their early-season struggles as the result emphasized the impact a young player like Flagg can have in turning the tide for a struggling team through a combination of talent and composure.
Attention for the 6-15 Mavericks now moves forwards to a December 1 clash with the Denver Nuggets on Monday, as Flagg does battle with Nikola Jokic in fine form – the big Serbian center averaging 28.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and 10.9 assists.
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