SALT LAKE CITY — Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg became the youngest player in NBA history to score 40 points after he dropped 42 in a 140-133 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz.
Flagg, who turns 19 on Sunday, had seven rebounds and six assists as well as two blocks and a steal in an early career performance from the No. 1 overall pick. He’s the third teenager in NBA history with at least 40 points, five rebounds and five assists, joining LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
Flagg has been playing his best basketball the past few weeks, averaging 25.7 points in the last seven games. He tied Mark Aguirre for the most points by a rookie in Mavs history.
PointsAge1980 Cliff Robinson4519-3622024 GG Jackson4419-1192004 LeBron James4319-330Mon. Cooper Flagg4218-3592021 Anthony Edwards4219-2732021 Anthony Edwards4219-2252008 Kevin Durant4219-200
Keyonte George scored 37 points and Lauri Markkanen added 33 to lead the Jazz, who rallied from a 124-116 deficit late in the fourth quarter by reeling off 11 straight points, capped by Isaiah Collier’s driving basket with 53.6 seconds remaining.
Flagg scored and was fouled on the next possession but missed the free throw that could have tied it.
Markkanen made a contested baseline jumper on the other end before Flagg made one of two free throws to make it 129-127 with 4.5 seconds to play. He missed the second free throw on purpose and Max Christie got the rebound while being fouled. Christie made both foul shots to send the game into overtime.
But the overtime belonged to the Jazz as the Mavericks shot 1 for 9.
Both teams were missing their starting centers as the Jazz rested Jusuf Nurkic and the Mavericks’ Anthony Davis sat out with a left calf bruise.
Rotation regulars Kevin Love and Svi Mykhailiuk were healthy scratches as the Jazz decided to play their youngsters.
The Associated Press and ESPN Research contributed to this report.
