Mavericks Rookie Cooper Flagg Breaks NBA Teenage Scoring Record In Loss To Hornets
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg delivered a historic performance on Thursday night, scoring 49 points to set a new NBA record for the most points in a game by a teenager. Despite his individual dominance, the evening ended in disappointment as the Mavericks suffered a narrow 123-121 defeat to the Charlotte Hornets at the American Airlines Center.
Flagg, just 19 years old, shot an efficient 20-of-29 from the field and grabbed 10 rebounds, surpassing the previous teenage scoring record of 45 points set by Cliff Robinson in 1980. The performance also shattered the Mavericks’ franchise rookie scoring record of 42 points, previously held by Mark Aguirre.
The timing of the record-breaking feat was almost cinematic, occurring on the same night the organization retired Aguirre’s No. 24 jersey. “Mark Aguirre is special,” Flagg remarked post-game. “It’s a special night for him and the whole organization. I just feel blessed.”
However, the narrative of the night was complicated by the result on the scoreboard and the opponent across the court. The Hornets were led by rookie Kon Knueppel, Flagg’s former teammate at Duke University. Knueppel scored a career-high 34 points, including eight three-pointers, and sank the game-winning free throws with 4.1 seconds remaining after drawing a foul on Flagg.
While Flagg’s scoring outburst was the headline attraction, observers noted that the Mavericks wasted a prime opportunity to secure a win on a celebratory night. The loss extended the team’s losing streak at home to three games, raising questions about their defensive execution in clutch moments. Despite the accolades, the inability to close out the game against a fellow lottery team remains a point of contention for critics of the team’s current trajectory.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd acknowledged the mixed emotions of the evening. “You saw history,” Kidd said. “We saw history at halftime, and we got to see a young man play the game at a very high level. To have Mark in the building and break his record was pretty special.”
Flagg and the Mavericks will have to wait for their next opportunity to turn historical stats into wins, but Thursday’s game will be remembered as the night the rookie fully arrived on the NBA stage, even if the final score wasn’t perfect.
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