Cooper Flagg scored 43 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Indiana Pacers 125-122 on Monday night. Flagg also added six assists, three steals and a block.
Flagg was not happy about one thing after the game. As he sat down in the interview room, he realized he had forgotten his snack. “Oh, I forgot my peanut butter and jelly,” Flagg said, referring to the sandwiches he has been eating during recent games as he works to add weight to his 19-year-old frame. “I was supposed to bring the peanut butter and jelly. Dang it!”
A historic night for a teenager
Flagg, the reigning Rookie of the Year, joined Kevin Durant as the only teenagers in NBA history to finish a game with at least 40 points and 10 rebounds. It was the fifth 40-point game of Flagg’s career. All other teenagers to play in the league have combined for 10.
“It’s unbelievable. He’s a 19-year-old doing this,” Mavericks coach Dusty May said.
Kyrie Irving also played a key role. Returning to action in both games of a back-to-back for the first time since recovering from a torn ACL that sidelined him all of last season, he scored 35 points on 11-of-18 shooting in 38 minutes. Flagg and Irving combined for 26 points in the fourth quarter as Dallas closed out the Pacers. The win moved the Mavericks to 7-4.
Flagg’s efficient season
Flagg is averaging 25.9 points on 50% shooting from the floor this season. He also averages 6.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 2.0 steals. Only Luka Doncic, the former Mavericks star who is having a historic stretch with the Los Angeles Lakers, is averaging as many points, rebounds, assists and steals as Flagg.
Flagg made 16 of 25 shots from the floor against Indiana, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range. He said he hopes Monday is the first of many nights like it. “Tonight, me and Kai had it going,” Flagg said. “There’s hopefully going to be a lot of nights like that.”
The midrange jumper has become an especially efficient shot for Flagg. He finished the game with a pair of pull-up 18-footers in the final minute. According to NBA.com tracking, Flagg has made 29 of 49 shots (59.2%) from between 10 and 19 feet this season.
“I think just being able to get to my spots at a higher level and being more comfortable with that has allowed me to take a little bit of load off my body,” Flagg said. “Just kind of stop it short, raising up over people. It’s taxing to get downhill all the way to the rim and try and finish over 7-footers all night, every night. I think just adding that in there, it definitely allows me to pace myself a little bit.”
Praise from teammates
Flagg is also thriving as a clutch scorer in his second season. He ranks fourth in the league in clutch scoring, with 27 points on 11-of-13 shooting.
Irving praised his young teammate. “We keep calling him a teenager, but he plays way beyond his years,” Irving said. “Got to give him his flowers. The way he’s always in attack mode, the way he sees the game and he gets others involved — very selfless. It helps out our team a lot, including myself. Just seeing him being able to make plays for others, but also when he’s calling his own number, he’s getting in that paint and trying to get the most efficient shot possible.”
Mavericks forward Naji Marshall was just as impressed. “I’m not even going to lie: I didn’t think he was going to be this good,” Marshall told reporters. “I knew he was good. I didn’t think he was going to be this good. Every day, bro, he just breaks the standard for what I thought he was going to be.”