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Tim McMahon
Dallas–Rookie cooper flag As soon as he crossed the half-court line, he caught the look-ahead pass, took one dribble and a few more long steps and launched for a spectacular and-1 slam dunk.
is over Toronto Raptors, Sandro Mamukelashvili A roar came from the crowd at American Airlines Center, a far cry from the scattered screams heard during dallas mavericks‘ Started the season 0–2. It was the highlight of an excellent all-around performance in the first NBA win for Flagg, the No. 1 draft pick who finished Sunday night’s game with 22 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists.
“The fans have shown up the first three games, and I thought tonight was really the first time we gave them something to get excited about and get on their feet,” Flagg said after the game. 139-129 Conquer the Raptors.
The Mavs broke out of their early-season offensive woes, with seven Dallas players scoring in double figures, led by 25 points from the power forward anthony davis and from 24 guards D’Angelo RussellWho added a team-high six assists while serving as the sixth man after sitting out the entire second half due to a coach’s decision.
But the spotlight, as has often been the case this season, shone brightest on the flag. At the age of 18 years and 309 days, Flagg became the fifth-youngest player in NBA history to score at least 20 points in a game, according to ESPN Research. Jermaine O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, tracy mcgrady And Lebron JamesFlagg joined Bryant as the only players to score at least 20 points without committing a turnover before turning 19.
Flagg’s fingerprints were on Dallas’ 26–9 run in the third quarter, a stretch in which it turned a seven-point deficit into a double-digit lead. He had seven points and three assists during the surge, punctuated with his poster dunk that prompted teammates to jump off the bench to celebrate.
“When he’s wowing the crowd like that, our team cheers him on,” said Russell, who assisted on the flag on an and-1 dunk. “Everyone wants to see him perform great. So when he’s performing like that, it’s contagious.”
dallas center Derek Lively IIThe one who initiated the fast break with defensive rebounds and outlet passes offered his own.
Lively said of the flag, “As soon as it took off, I knew it was going to be butter.” “He’s bringing his energy, pushing it to the limit. The whole crowd loves it. It brings us alive.”
After entering the game ranked last in the league in offensive efficiency, the Mavs found the formula they needed to play well on offense in a superstar guard kyrie irving He has recovered from a torn ACL suffered in March. Dallas played with speed and strength, scoring 25 of 39 points from the free throw line while scoring 25 fast-break points and 70 points in the paint.
“It feels great. I’m excited,” Flagg said. “We want to build on tonight, use this as a baseline. This team just needs to keep building and getting better.”
