Mavericks' Flagg Scores Historic 42 in OT Loss to Jazz

In Salt Lake City on Monday night, Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg delivered a historic performance, scoring a career-high 42 points in a 140-133 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz, despite the defeat dropping his team to 10-17 on the season.

The 18-year-old forward, who turns 19 on Sunday, surpassed a longstanding NBA mark held by LeBron James, who scored 37 points as an 18-year-old in a 2003 game for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Flagg's outburst made him the first teenager to reach 40 points in a league contest, and he became just the fifth youngest player ever to achieve that milestone, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and Oscar Robertson. He also tied Mark Aguirre's franchise record for the most points by a Mavericks rookie. Shooting 13 of 27 from the field and 15 of 20 from the free-throw line, Flagg added seven rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and one steal over 42 minutes. His scoring included a crucial and-one layup in the final minute of regulation after contact from Jazz center Kyle Filipowski, which helped force overtime.

Flagg's efficiency stood out, with 33 of his points coming in the paint or at the line, reflecting a recent shift...