The anticipation for the Dallas Mavericks to take the floor Thursday night against the Charlotte Hornets was palpable — and for good reason. The matchup featured a head-to-head showdown between former Duke teammates and top rookies Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel.
The two combined for 44 points by halftime and hit another gear in the second half as the Hornets edged out a 123-121 win behind 34 points, four rebounds, and three assists from Knueppel. He knocked down eight 3-pointers, setting a franchise rookie record for made threes in a single game.
Still, the story of the night was Flagg. The Mavericks rookie erupted for a career-high 49 points to go along with 10 rebounds and three assists. He set the franchise record for most points by a rookie, and the NBA announced it was also the most points ever scored by a teenager, as Flagg is just 19 years old.
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Flagg became just the fourth player since 1997 to score 49 or more points as a rookie, joining Trae Young (2019), Brandon Jennings — who exploded for 55 in 2009 — and Allen Iverson, who dropped 50 in 1997.
While the win was clearly what mattered most to Flagg, he still had a chance to deliver late. He tied the game with a 3-pointer with 30 seconds remaining, but the Mavericks then committed a foul that sent Knueppel to the line. Knueppel knocked down two free throws with four seconds left, and Flagg’s game-tying jumper at the buzzer fell short.
So far this season, Flagg and Knueppel have separated themselves in the Rookie of the Year race and appear set to battle down the stretch for the honor.
Entering Thursday, Flagg was averaging 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, while Knueppel was posting 18.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. The two will meet again March 3 in Charlotte.
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