‘Starting The Domino Effect’: Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg Sets NBA Record For Most Points By A Teenager In A Season Opener

HOUSTON — Cooper Flagg scored 32 points against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, the most by a teenager in a season opener in NBA history, according to Mavericks PR. Flagg was 19 years and 304 days old.

He reached the mark on a 17-foot step-back jumper with 4:33 left in the fourth quarter, which also gave him a game-high 32. The Dallas Mavericks lost 128-110 at Toyota Center.

The previous high appears to be the 30 points Lamar Odom scored in his 1999 debut with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to research cited by Sports Illustrated.

Flagg went 10-of-17 from the field, 1-of-4 from 3-point range, and 11-of-13 at the free-throw line in 32:56. He added 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block, with 4 turnovers.

How Cooper Flagg Reached 32 Points In Houston

At halftime, Flagg had 9 points on 2-of-8 shooting, and Houston led 70-38. In the second quarter, he went 0-of-3 from the field and 4-of-4 at the line, and Dallas was outscored by 21 points in his 9:08 on the floor.

Flagg needed 24 seconds of the third quarter to score his first basket of the half, a driving floater. He went 5-of-5 from the field and 3-of-3 at the line in the period for 13 points, the last 4 of them during an 18-5 Dallas run that closed the quarter.

His fourth quarter started with 2 of 3 free throws after a flagrant foul 1 on Kevin Durant with 11:37 left. Flagg added a fast-break layup, a 13-foot fadeaway, and 2 more free throws before the record-setting step-back.

Flagg made 11 of Dallas’ 17 free throws and took 13 of its 26 attempts. After halftime, he went 8-of-9 from the field.

Free throws were something Dallas did not get enough of in the preseason, by May’s count, and the Mavericks saw Flagg as their best way into the paint.

“That’s been a point of emphasis, and that’s one thing,” May said. “When we evaluated ourselves after four games, getting to the line wasn’t something we did well. We thought Coop was probably the best way to capitalize on the paint. I thought he was strong. I thought he made good decisions, and when we started knocking down some open shots, his assist numbers will increase.”

The Mavericks talked at halftime about how many threes they had taken compared with twos, according to Flagg. He went to the rim once Houston stopped overhelping.

“Just being aggressive. I think some of us we talked about going into the half, we had shot more threes than twos. And that’s okay if you’re making them but I mean, we weren’t knocking them down,” Flagg said. “So just getting to the rim, starting the domino effect of creating advantages again downhill and they weren’t over helping too much. So just taking what they were giving us and getting to the rim and making a play.”

Mavericks coach Dusty May saw Flagg looking for his teammates in the first half, when he had 1 assist. Dallas played faster after halftime, May said.

“I thought he was setting us up in the first half. I thought he was just being very, very intentional with getting his teammates shots,” May said. “And then in the second half, we did a better job of getting some off-ball movement. We played a little faster, and then obviously, if you’re not taking the ball out of the net, you can get it up and attack quickly. I thought that was the biggest difference.”

Flagg’s Record Follows A Rookie Of The Year Season

Dallas drafted Flagg first overall in 2025 out of Duke. As a rookie, he averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year.

Flagg became the youngest player in NBA history to score 50 points in a game last season, with 51 against the Orlando Magic. He was also the second-youngest player to reach 1,000 career points. The Mavericks went 26-56.

In the preseason, Flagg had 14 points and 7 assists in a 132-115 win over Houston on Oct. 11 in Macao, his first game alongside Kyrie Irving. He finished the preseason with 26 points and 12 rebounds against the Atlanta Hawks on Oct. 16.

Flagg On The Second Quarter And Leading The Dallas Mavericks

Houston outscored Dallas 38-12 in the second quarter. The Mavericks were not organized and did not get back in transition, according to Flagg.

“I would say, got stagnant,” Flagg said. “They obviously went on a run and we just didn’t have any answers. We weren’t organized. We weren’t getting back in transition. We just got out of the norm for us and what we’ve been doing since training camp started, it showed. People were doing things that they don’t normally do and it really showed.”

Flagg put part of the second quarter on himself Wednesday. Getting Dallas into the right actions did not have to mean him taking shots, he said.

“I mean, it’s just flow of the game. I think I got to do a better job of, I think, in the second quarter, especially I could have done a better job of getting us set up and being vocal and being a leader and getting us set up into actions,” Flagg said. “It didn’t have to be me taking shots, but just getting us into the right actions.”

“We missed a lot of easy shots too during that stretch. Like things were going well and we were missing a lot of easy ones that I think could go in on any given night as well,” Flagg continued. “But yeah, I think just being aggressive and feeling out is part of it, but I gotta be there and be that leader and be vocal as well.”

Practice has gone well for Dallas, Flagg said, but the communication has dropped off in games. He counted himself among the players who need to lift it.

“Up to this point, I think in practice it’s been good and it’s died down in the games. And we gotta find guys, myself included, that are gonna pick up our level of communication, be leaders out there and I don’t think we really had that tonight,” Flagg explained. “We didn’t have anybody … defensively communicating, getting everybody on the same page and it really showed. The second quarter when we weren’t getting stops, we weren’t scoring on offense. So we got somebody to step up and be really vocal in those moments.”

Dallas trailed 70-38 at halftime and outscored Houston 72-58 after it. Flagg wants better second quarters so the Mavericks are not digging out of holes in the third.

“I mean, it’s difficult. I mean, down, what, 32 at halftime, 34? It’s not ideal. It’s not where you want to be,” Flagg said. “And honestly, that’s been the thing for us is second quarter. It’s like all preseason, it’s been bad second quarter going into the half, kind of come out in the third quarter and dig ourselves out of a hole. So we gotta find ways to combat that and have better second quarters and leave off on a good foot going into that.”

Flagg And Kyrie Irving On Their Partnership

Wednesday was the first regular-season game Flagg and Irving played together. Irving missed all of Flagg’s rookie season, and the two shared the floor twice in the preseason, on Oct. 11 in Macao and Oct. 16 against Atlanta.

Irving set up Flagg’s only made 3-pointer, a 25-footer that tied the game at 8 with 8:39 left in the first quarter. In the third quarter, the two scored 24 of Dallas’ 38 points, 13 from Flagg and 11 from Irving.

Houston will try to pressure both of them for 94 feet, Flagg expects. He includes himself among the Mavericks who have to take pressure off Irving.

“Kai is Kai. We can do a better job of helping him. And obviously, I think Kai is just a one-of-a-kind talent,” Flagg said. “Obviously he’s gonna be really good for us and we just gotta do a better job, me included, just helping him, getting him some easier looks, getting the pressure off of him.”

“And they’re gonna just try to be really physical and pick up 94, me and him,” Flagg continued. “And so I think as a team that’ll be a big thing for us, just find ways to combat that and have some guy step up, bring it up and get us set up in action.”

Irving noticed Flagg looking out for him. The 34-year-old would rather see Flagg focus on being a voice for Dallas than worry about veterans, and the two plan to talk through attacking together on film.

“It’s great recognition by the young fella. And I want him to continue to do that,” Irving said. “But I think he has to worry about being able to be a voice for us out there and also not necessarily worry about veterans like myself. He’s a caring individual and I want him to continue that and I think tomorrow once we watch film or whenever we get to Indy we’ll talk more about how we can attack together.”

“Even in some of our actions together. I think we cause a lot of chaos when we’re in plays and actions together and I think we can do more of that,” Irving continued. “So I appreciate him looking out for me but it is a great thing that I got my 19-year-old, I mean co-pilot over there looking out for me, making sure I’m getting going.”

The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Irving first overall in 2011, 14 years before Dallas took Flagg with the same pick. Both played college basketball at Duke.

Flagg’s development will come through film, practice, and games, according to May.

“I mean, Coop, we’re trying to develop by film, by practice tomorrow, by the Pacers game,” May said. “Obviously, the games expedite the development. But, yeah, we’re trying to play good ball every single possession.”

Flagg turns 20 on Dec. 21. Dallas plays at the Indiana Pacers on Friday at 6 p.m. CT and hosts the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.