Cooper Flagg pours in 45 as Mavs hold off hurting Lakers

Rookie sensation leads Dallas to victory over short-handed Los Angeles squad.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 8:10am

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Cooper Flagg followed up his historic 51-point performance with another sensational outing, scoring 45 points, dishing out 9 assists, and grabbing 8 rebounds to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 134-128 victory over the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. The Mavericks built a 22-point lead and held on for the win despite a strong effort from LeBron James, who nearly recorded a triple-double with 30 points, 15 assists, and 9 rebounds.

Why it matters

Flagg's back-to-back dominant performances have put the NBA on notice about the 19-year-old rookie's potential stardom. Meanwhile, the Lakers' injury woes continue to hamper their playoff push, with both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined for at least the remainder of the regular season.

The details

Flagg, the youngest player in NBA history to score 50-plus points, opened the game on a torrid pace, scoring 26 of his 45 points in the first half to put the Mavericks in control. Dallas' bench also played a key role, outscoring the Lakers' reserves 46-35. The Mavericks shot 14-of-32 from 3-point range, compared to 8-of-27 for Los Angeles.

  • Flagg set the NBA record for youngest player to score 50-plus points on Friday against the Orlando Magic.
  • Luka Doncic sustained a Grade 2 left hamstring strain in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday and will miss at least the final week of the regular season.
  • Austin Reaves will also miss the remainder of the regular season due to a Grade 2 left oblique strain, the Lakers announced on Saturday.

The players

Cooper Flagg

A 19-year-old rookie sensation for the Dallas Mavericks who has emerged as a potential NBA star, setting the league record for youngest player to score 50-plus points on Friday.

LeBron James

The veteran superstar for the Los Angeles Lakers, who nearly recorded a triple-double with 30 points, 15 assists, and 9 rebounds in the loss.

Luka Doncic

The Mavericks' All-Star guard, who sustained a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and will miss at least the final week of the regular season.

Austin Reaves

The Lakers' second-leading scorer for the season, who will also miss the remainder of the regular season due to a Grade 2 left oblique strain.

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What they’re saying

“Cooper Flagg is a special talent. His ability to take over a game at such a young age is truly remarkable.”

— Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavericks Owner

What’s next

The Mavericks will look to continue their strong play without Doncic, while the Lakers will need to find a way to overcome their mounting injury issues and secure a playoff spot.

The takeaway

Flagg's emergence as a dominant scoring threat has been a bright spot for the Mavericks in an otherwise disappointing season, while the Lakers' injury woes have put their postseason hopes in jeopardy.