Cooper Flag takes time to sign the jerseys of the young fans after the win over the Heat

ByNBAUSA



The The Dallas Mavericks extended their first winning streak of the season to three games with a 118-108 victory against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night at the American Airlines Center. Rookie sensation Cooper Flagg led the way with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, adding six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 31 minutes of action. Interestingly, Flagg didn’t attempt a 3-pointer and instead aggressively drove to the basket and earned five free throws.

The 18-year-old’s late-game magic closed the book on Miami’s comeback. As the Heat trimmed a 17-point second-half deficit to just four points in the final three minutes, Flagg scored eight straight points with a turnover, a block and a layup, drawing a line under the contest.

After the game, Flagg showed off his approachable demeanor by spending time signing autographs for young fans in the loading dock area of ​​the arena.

The No. 1 overall pick is now averaging 17.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 22 games this season, shooting 47.6% from the field and 25.6% from three-point range.

13-year veteran Anthony Davis backed Flagg on Wednesday with 17 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, one steal and three blocks. The Mavericks are now 2-1 following his return from a 14-game absence with a finger injury. The 10k All-Star played back-to-back games for the first time since a month-long layoff with a left calf strain.

Klay Thompson contributed 17 points off the bench, making five 3-pointers, while rookie Ryan Nembhardt added 15 points and a season-high 13 assists, snapping a streak of four straight career starts.

Dallas’ roster has faced significant injury challenges this season, with Daniel Gafford, Derek Lively II and Kyrie Irving missing. Still, the Mavericks stood their ground, letting the defense bear the brunt of the battle. Dallas limited Miami, the second-best team in the NBA, averaging 124 points per game, to 108 points, including just 14 in transition, while Dallas scored 19 rushing points. They also held Tyler Hero, who scored 20 points in the first half, scoreless after halftime.

After improving to 8-15, the Mavericks face a daunting challenge on the road against the Western Conference leaders, the 21-1 Oklahoma City Thunder, on Friday night.





2025-12-04 10:12:00

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