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Cooper Flagg entered Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers in a close race for the NBA Rookie of the Year award along with his former Duke Blue Devils teammate Kon Knueppel.
Flagg, coming off a 51-point performance, likely needed another dominant game to shorten his odds of becoming the league’s top rookie. He delivered.
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Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James hug at the end of their NBA game in Dallas on April 5, 2026. (LM Otero/AP)
The budding Mavericks star scored 45 points in Dallas’ 134-128 win over the injury-plagued Lakers. The win ended the Mavericks’ longest home losing streak in 32 years. He also added nine assists and eight rebounds to his stat line.
“I definitely think it’s kind of a statement,” he told reporters, via ESPN. “But it just goes back to what I said: I’m confident in myself and I know what I’m capable of. I just let the rest of things work themselves out.”
Flagg is the first rookie to record back-to-back games with at least 40 points since Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson did it in the 1996-97 season. The performance came after he became the first teenager to score at least 50 points in a game when he had 51 points against the Orlando Magic on Friday night.
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg dribbles during the second half of an NBA game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Dallas on April 5, 2026. (LM Otero/AP)
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“I don’t know if he’s going to make a final statement,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said. “I think he’s doing what he’s been doing all season. Being able to play different positions. Being able to be uncomfortable. He’s never complained and delivered for us.
“Tonight, to be able to do that on national TV, it’s not easy. Especially coming off a 50-ball. He wants to win and he helped the team win tonight.”
Flagg leads the Mavericks, who improved to 25-53 with the win, with 20.8 points per game. match. He also averages 6.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
Knueppel has been a bright spot for the Charlotte Hornets this season as they look to make the postseason for the first time since 2016. He is third on the team in scoring, averaging 18.8 points per game. match. He also averages 5.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg reacts to a score in the first half of an NBA game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Dallas on April 5, 2026. (LM Otero/AP)
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Dallas has four games left to play, while Charlotte has three.
