Mavericks' Cooper Flagg: Hits for 18 in Friday's loss

Flagg ended Friday's 117-107 loss to the Wizards with 18 points (6-14 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 4-4 FT), five rebounds, six assists, one block and one steal in 35 minutes.

The top pick in the 2025 Draft nearly led a Mavericks comeback, scoring nine straight points for his squad during a three-minute stretch in the fourth quarter, but Flagg then committed a couple of turnovers to cut the momentum short. Growing pains have to be expected for an 18-year-old in the NBA despite the hype surrounding him, but Flagg has mostly been as advertised through two games, showing the ability to drive the offense and contribute across the board.