Cooper Flagg Makes History with Anthony Davis as Guide
The number one pick in the draft shined with 22 points and a spectacular dunk against the Raptors
Cooper Flagg needed just a moment to ignite the crowd at the American Airlines Center. The rookie from the Dallas Mavericks caught a pass on the run as he crossed half-court, took a dribble, accelerated with two long strides, and soared to the hoop to finish with an impressive dunk over Sandro Mamukelashvili. The play lifted a fan base still upset with Nico Harrison over the Luka Doncic situation.
The Texan team secured its first win of the season by defeating the Toronto Raptors 139-129, in a game where Flagg shined with 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. "The fans have been there since day one, but I think tonight we finally gave them something to celebrate," the young man said after the game.
Dallas displayed its best offensive performance with seven double-digit scorers. Anthony Davis led the scoring with 25 points, and D’Angelo Russell added 24 points and six assists off the bench, after not playing in the second half of the previous game.
However, all eyes were on Flagg. According to ESPN Research, at 18 years and 309 days, he became the fifth youngest player in NBA history to reach 20 points in a game, only surpassed by Jermaine O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, and LeBron James. Additionally, along with Bryant, he is the only player under 19 to achieve this without committing a turnover.
The moment of Cooper Flagg
The rookie left his mark in the third quarter, when Dallas sealed a 26-9 run that turned the game around. Flagg scored seven points and dished out three assists in that stretch, culminating in the dunk that rocked the arena. "When he gets the crowd going, the whole team feeds off it," highlighted Russell, the assistant in the play.
Dereck Lively, who initiated the transition with a defensive rebound and a long pass, summed it up enthusiastically: "The moment he took off, I knew it was going to be perfect. His energy drives us, and the crowd feels it. That gives us life."
Without Kyrie Irving, still recovering from a knee injury, the Mavericks finally found the offensive formula: speed, aggressiveness, and easy points. They scored 25 on the fast break and 70 in the paint, in addition to making 29 of 39 free throws. "It feels great," said Flagg. "We want to use this as a starting point. This team has to keep growing and improving."
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Cooper Flagg ya hace historia con Anthony Davis de guía
