49 Points for Cooper Flagg, Kidd: “He’ll Become a Champion Very Soon”
49 points, but no win: Cooper Flagg delivers the best game of his young NBA career, as Dallas narrowly falls to the Charlotte Hornets led by Kon Knueppel
The night of Cooper Flagg’s best scoring performance of his career does not end with a win for Dallas. The Mavericks are edged out by the Charlotte Hornets, 123-121, after a game that stayed tight until the final possession, with the former Duke rookie simply unstoppable.
Flagg finishes with 49 points, a new NBA career high, shooting an impressive 20-of-29 from the field and 3-of-5 from three-point range. Massive numbers, paired with another milestone: 25 points in the first half alone, a clear sign of his immediate and sustained impact on the game.
Despite a highlight-filled night, Flagg’s focus remains squarely on the final result. Speaking after the game, the Mavs’ young star didn’t hide his disappointment over a loss that came after a long comeback effort.
It’s tough. We fought the whole game, stayed together even in difficult moments. They went on a few runs, we stayed right there and gave ourselves a chance at the end. Obviously you want to win, but there are also positives to take away.
Cooper Flagg
The generational duel added extra spark to the night. Kon Knueppel, Flagg’s main rival in the Rookie of the Year race and a former Duke teammate, led Charlotte with 34 points, delivering a rookie showdown that already feels like a glimpse into the future. It’s no surprise that both are viewed as near-locks for the upcoming Rising Stars Game.
The loss stings, but the message coming out of the Dallas locker room is clear. Jason Kidd had strong words for Flagg, highlighting a mindset that goes beyond the box score.
He’s not a guy who thinks about numbers – he thinks about wins and losses. That’s just who he is. He competes to win. A kid with that mentality is going to be a champion sooner than people think. Coming back from an injury and playing a game like this says everything about his competitiveness.
Jason Kidd
For Dallas, there’s frustration, but also the awareness of having a talent capable of trying to carry the team even on the most challenging nights.