Cooper Flagg wildly posters Cade Cunningham of the Pistons

The Dallas Mavericks avoided a complete collapse and held on for a 116–114 overtime win via Detroit Pistons, highlighted by a stunning Cooper Flagg poster over Cade Cunningham. Early in the night, the Mavericks rookie took off against the Pistons star and rocked the American Airlines Center. The dunk set the tone. He cut the gap in the standings. Detroit went 21–5, No. 1 in the East. Dallas came in at 10–17, No. 12 in the West. For a flash, the Mavericks owned the floor.

The show came quickly. Flagg attacked the lane with intention. Cade Cunningham stepped up. Flagg got up though and finished with authority. The bench jumped. The crowd roared. That energy carried over into a wild game that refused to settle down. The Mavericks built control and extended the lead to as many as 18. The Pistons responded late, going on a 31–19 run in the fourth quarter that forced overtime. Tension filled the building. Every possession was important.

COOPER FLAGG‼

Up high, down LOUD 😤pic.twitter.com/T2HLzi4s3I

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 19, 2025

How the Mavericks closed and what Cooper Flag delivered

Overtime was tight and tense. As a result, shots were few and far between and the defense ruled. However, the Mavericks held on with a 6–4 lead in overtime to secure a 116–114 victory. It wasn’t pretty, but it was composed. Overall, Dallas finished 45 percent from the field, while the Pistons shot just 39 percent. Meanwhile, both teams struggled from deep. In fact, none broke 20 percent from three. After all, this one lived in color and line.

Meanwhile, Flagg’s stat line supported the high. He finished with 23 points on 8-of-20 shooting, went a perfect 7-for-7 at the line and pulled down 10 rebounds. In addition, he added four assists and three blocks. Influence everywhere. Cade Cunningham struggled, but in the end the moment went to the rookie.

The dunk will get stuck everywhere. However, winning will be more important. For the Mavericks, this night mixed flash with determination. More importantly, Cooper Flagg showed he could get the crowd going and tie the game. And as Dallas looks ahead, one question remains. If this is the tone, how loud can the following statement be?