Cooper Flagg graduates before Nikola Jokić

Cooper Flagg ironically explained his best performance of the season in the Dallas Mavericks' 131-130 victory over the Denver Nuggets. "I've aged," said the rookie after scoring 33 points with 14 of 21 field goals and a personal record of four three-pointers. "I'm 19. Since turning 19, I've only missed one three-pointer." In reality, Flagg is 5 for 7 from beyond the arc in the two games played since becoming the league's youngest player to turn 19 on Sunday, a significant improvement from the 23.4% he shot from three-point range in his 28 NBA games at age 18.

From the start, it was clear that Flagg was inspired. He made his first seven shots and, after hitting a deep three-pointer, turned towards the Dallas bench, stuck out his tongue, and smiled. "I'm just having fun," he explained later. "I think I'm better when I play loose and enjoy myself."

Beyond the typical freshness of his age, it was Flagg's maturity that impressed Nikola Jokic the most, especially after Denver rallied from an 18-point deficit. "He had the hot hand," noted the three-time MVP, who finished with 29 points and 14 assists. "But I would say the composure with which he played... he doesn't look so young out there. It feels like he's played important games and won before. That's my opinion. He looked very mature."

Flagg closed the game with 33 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists, joining Luka Doncic and Jason Kidd as the only rookies in franchise history to achieve or surpass those numbers. Even Anthony Davis, who scored 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds, was surprised. "Oooh! I guess it's not good enough for a triple-double," Davis joked. "He's not quite there yet... But it's a tremendous stat line, especially in a win."

In the decisive minutes, he was once again a key player. A three-pointer by him put Dallas five points ahead with 3:17 remaining despite Peyton Watson's good defense. He then scored a floater in traffic and later perfectly read Denver's defense to assist Naji Marshall from the right wing, who nailed a wide-open three in the opposite corner.

A player from another dimension

Flagg's competitiveness, basketball IQ, and driving ability have been consistent, especially since transitioning to his natural small forward position after starting his career as a point guard. "It's just about having confidence," he explained regarding his shooter mentality. "Having faith in the work, trusting the repetitions." His performance also impressed Nuggets' coach, David Adelman: "It was the tough shots he made. Some threes at the end of the shot clock. He got to his spots. I thought Bruce [Brown] defended him very well in the second half and yet he made very tough shots at crucial moments. It's very impressive. Sometimes defense doesn't matter when a very good player can score over the top, and that's what he did."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Cooper Flagg se doctora ante Nikola Jokic