Flagg Scores 45 Points As Mavericks Beat Lakers

Teenage rookie Cooper Flagg continued his superb run of form by scoring 45 points as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 134-128 on Sunday.

The 19-year-old had made history when he became the first teenager to score 50 points in an NBA game – finishing with 51 points, including 24 in the fourth quarter, in a defeat by the Orlando Magic.

He followed up with a 45-point haul in the win over the injury-hit Lakers, adding nine assists and eight rebounds.

Flagg is the first rookie with back-to-back 40-point games since Allen Iverson in 1997, and is among the favourites to be named this season’s rookie of the year.

The Mavericks started quickly against the Lakers, who were missing both the NBA’s leading scorer Luka Doncic and rising star Austin Reaves, and were 41-30 up at the end of the first quarter.

LeBron James, 41, led the Lakers with 30 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds, while Luke Kennard had 15 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists.

PJ Washington scored 15 points for the Mavericks, Naji Marshall and Brandon Williams added 13 points, and Klay Thompson scored three three-pointers in his 11-point haul.

The Lakers are third in the Western Conference, with the 12th-placed Mavericks already out of play-off contention.