A day following his achievement as the youngest competitor in NBA history to accumulate 10 assists during a defeat against the Lakers, No. 1 overall selection Cooper Flagg etched his name further into the record books in a 114-100 victory versus the Clippers this past Saturday. Flagg has now earned the distinction of being the youngest NBA player ever to amass a minimum of 35 points. Flagg reached this milestone at the age of 18 years and 343 days, surpassing LeBron James’s timeline by five days during his inaugural season.
Flagg also attained this feat with greater efficiency compared to James, achieving a shooting accuracy of 13 out of 22 from the field (59.1%), in addition to securing eight rebounds and providing two assists. He demonstrated an aggressive approach right from the start, accumulating 21 of his 35 points in the initial half.
Flagg encountered minimal resistance in the first half, primarily due to James Harden’s lackluster defensive efforts, which were virtually non-existent on numerous occasions. The Clippers’ orange-red uniforms appeared ironically appropriate, as their defensive strategy resembled stationary traffic cones, allowing Flagg to effortlessly navigate towards the basket for a series of layups with minimal defensive pressure.
Despite the Clippers’ subpar defensive performance, currently ranked 26th in the league and enduring a four-game losing streak, the rookie’s accomplishment remains remarkable. It’s evident that Flagg is gaining increased comfort on the court, displaying greater assertiveness in seeking scoring opportunities, even during critical moments of the game.
It was Flagg’s pull-up, mid-range jump shot with less than two minutes remaining that propelled the Mavericks back into the lead against the Clippers. He once again answered the call with 45 seconds left, aggressively driving to the basket from a pick-and-roll play and challenging Clippers center Ivica Zubac directly. Flagg drew the foul and nearly converted the shot despite the whistle, but confidently sank both free throws, extending the Mavericks’ lead to four points.
This performance felt like Flagg’s inaugural signature victory of his career, marking a pivotal moment in his rookie season that should garner increased consideration for the Rookie of the Year award. Currently, a poll would likely favor Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel for the honor. He leads all rookies in scoring (18.4), averages 5.7 rebounds and three assists, while also demonstrating impressive shooting efficiency (47% FG, 41.3% 3FG). However, over the preceding five games, Flagg has outpaced Knueppel’s production, averaging over 20 points with a 48.1% shooting accuracy, alongside 7.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists during this period.
During these recent five games, we’ve witnessed the Flagg that everyone anticipated from the season’s outset. However, an unsuccessful point guard experiment and awkward lineup configurations initially seemed to hinder the Mavericks from optimizing Flagg’s potential for success. Nevertheless, following the decision to bench D’Angelo Russell in favor of Brandon Williams and Ryan Nembhard as the point guard duo, coupled with improved floor spacing resulting from Anthony Davis’s absence, the former Duke standout has flourished.
His statistical averages have increased across the board, and while his 3-point shooting accuracy has declined, he’s compensated by attempting fewer 3-pointers and causing greater disruption inside the arc. While his 3-point shot was always anticipated to be a developing aspect of his game, his enhanced efficiency from other areas of the court is more significant.
Cooper Flagg’s stats
|
First 15 games |
15.5 |
6.3 |
3.1 |
45.5% |
29.3% |
|
Last 5 games |
20.2 |
7.2 |
4.4 |
48.1% |
11.8% |
While the sample size remains limited, and reintegrating Davis into the starting lineup presents an intriguing dynamic to observe, if Flagg maintains this level of performance exhibited over the past five games, he will undoubtedly have solidified his position as a serious contender to his former Duke teammate for the Rookie of the Year award.
Knueppel continues to post impressive statistics; however, he will also need to adapt to the return of a healthy Brandon Miller to Charlotte’s starting lineup. With LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and Miller collectively contributing a significant scoring output, Knueppel’s production may potentially decrease as the season progresses. His increased opportunities have largely stemmed from early-season injuries sustained by both Ball and Miller, but should they remain healthy, Knueppel’s statistics may decline.
Regardless, Flagg’s recent surge in scoring carries a powerful “I’ve arrived” message. His season began at a slower pace, and given the depth of the rookie class, he didn’t even place within the top 3 of our Rookie Rankings during the initial month of the season.
However, he has since ascended through the ranks. Considering the recent trajectory, the Rookie of the Year competition might culminate in a closely contested battle between two former Duke teammates.
