Cooper Flagg keeps rolling and the NBA is taking notice
The Dallas Mavericks can thank their jewel for this one. Up against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Texans came out on top 134-128 after a wild night built around another Cooper Flagg masterclass.
The 19-year-old rookie went off again, pouring in 45 points and backing up his outrageous form. Two days after dropping 51, he’s now up to 96 points across his last two games, a ridiculous haul for a player his age.
Cooper Flagg 45 PTS, 8 REB, 9 AST, 2 STL, 14/27 FG, 2/4 3FG, 15/17 FT, 65.3% TS vs Lakers
96 PTS IN THE LAST 2 GAMES. pic.twitter.com/5HMJdvITyK https://t.co/yYX5SQ3alN
— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) April 6, 2026
With Dallas down to the last scraps of a lost season, Flagg is making his name the hard way: with numbers, noise and no shortage of swagger. He’s starting to look like a front-runner for Rookie of the Year.
A hot start set the tone
The game opened at full tilt, and Flagg took charge almost immediately. He rattled in 19 points in the first quarter alone, putting the Lakers on the back foot straight away.
Dallas used that burst to open up an early lead, riding the energy of its young star. The Lakers tried to answer, but couldn’t live with the Mavericks’ pace or pressure.
Bit by bit, the Texans took control, dictating the rhythm and punishing the Lakers at the defensive end.
LeBron keeps the Lakers hanging around
Even without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, LeBron James wasn’t having any of it.
At 41 and in his 23rd NBA season, the veteran is still producing ridiculous stuff. He finished with 30 points and 15 assists, dragging his team through it.
In the second quarter, he dragged the Lakers right back into it with 16 points and a string of highlight plays, including two straight dunks that gave Los Angeles some life.
That kept the Lakers within touching distance at half-time, and they got back on level terms again early in the third quarter.
Dallas stays in command
Even with the comeback, the Mavericks never blinked. Every time the Lakers threatened to make it a game, Dallas found an answer.
Flagg kept shining, but he wasn’t doing it alone. P.J. Washington Jr. chipped in with valuable scoring after the break, while the Texans stayed organised and hard to shake.
The Lakers, short-handed, eventually ran out of answers. For all LeBron’s effort and a strong night from Luke Kennard, who posted a triple-double, they never managed to get in front.
Dallas controlled the pace and held its lead to the finish.
A historic night for a rookie
With another huge scoring outburst, Flagg has pushed himself even deeper into the record books.
He’s the first rookie since Allen Iverson to post back-to-back 40-point games. That’s special. Plain and simple.
And it wasn’t just about scoring. He also filled the sheet with nine assists and eight rebounds, proving he’s already a complete player who can affect the game in every area.
A season-ending stretch with something to prove
The Mavericks are probably done as far as the playoffs go, but Flagg is making sure he gets his say.
With only a handful of games left, every outing matters in the Rookie of the Year race. And with performances like this, he’s sending a loud message to the rest of the field.
The Lakers were short-handed, but still dangerous
As for the Lakers, the loss was largely down to the players they were missing.
Without two key pieces, the Los Angeles side still showed some fight. Led by a still-brilliant LeBron James, they tried to stay in the fight until the end.
LeBron James 30 PTS, 9 REB, 15 AST, 1 STL, 12/22 FG, 5/9 FT, 57.8% TS vs Mavericks pic.twitter.com/AaDSSbx8PW https://t.co/9jAwuKzE1q
— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) April 6, 2026
But Flagg’s explosion and Dallas’ collective edge were too much.
Flagg is the league’s new must-watch star
Game after game, Flagg is becoming one of the NBA’s biggest draws.
He can score, create and carry a team. That’s not rookie stuff anymore. He’s already looking like a major player.
And if this late-season burst is any clue, the NBA may already have its next superstar.
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