Cooper Flagg ignites Mavericks' offense in first NBA win - ESPN

DALLAS — Rookie Cooper Flagg caught the look-ahead pass as he crossed the halfcourt line, took one dribble and a couple more long strides and launched for a spectacular, and-1 slam dunk.

The finish over Toronto's Sandro Mamukelashvili elicited a roar from the crowd at the American Airlines Center, a far cry from the scattered boos during the Dallas Mavericks' 0-2 start. It was the highlight of an excellent all-around performance in the first NBA victory for Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick who finished with 22 points, four rebounds and four assists.

«The fans have showed up for the first three games and I thought tonight was really the first time we gave 'em something to be excited for and be on their feet for,» Flagg said after the 139-129 win Sunday night.

The Mavs snapped out of their early-season offensive funk with seven Dallas players scoring in double figures, led by 25 points by power forward Anthony Davis and 24 points by guard D'Angelo Russell, who added a team-high six assists while thriving as the sixth man a game after sitting out the entire second half due to a coach's decision.

But the spotlight, as it often will this season, shined brightest on Flagg. According to ESPN Research, at 18 years, 309 days old, Flagg became the fifth-youngest player in NBA history to score at least 20 points in a game, trailing only Jermaine O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and LeBron James. Flagg joined Bryant as the only players to score at least 20 points without committing a turnover in a game before turning 19.

Flagg's fingerprints were all over the 26-9 run in the third quarter, a stretch in which Dallas turned a seven-point deficit into a double-digit lead. He had seven points and three assists during the run, punctuating