Cooper Flagg tied LeBron James for the third-most 10-10-5 games by a teenager in NBA history, but the Mavericks fell 112-107 to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.
PHOENIX — Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg had a tough shooting night, but still finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists in a 112-107 loss to the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. He tied LeBron James for the third-most 10-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist games by a teenager in NBA history, with five.
It was also Flagg's 33rd game this season with at least 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists — more than the next two closest rookies combined.
No rookie this season has done what Flagg does on a bad shooting night. He shot 4-of-19 from the field, yet grabbed 12 rebounds, handed out 6 assists, and blocked two shots in the fourth quarter as Dallas mounted a furious rally.
"He had good looks," coach Jason Kidd said. "Sometimes the ball goes in, sometimes it doesn't. He was aggressive, put us in position with his scoring, playmaking, and rebounding."
Christie put Dallas in front 95-93 with a three-pointer at the 8:18 mark — the Mavericks' first lead since the opening minutes. The Suns answered and held on, but the fourth quarter showed what this team can be when Flagg has help.
John Poulakidas provided it Wednesday. The guard poured in a career-high 23 points off the bench, going 8-of-12 from the field and 5-of-8 from three. His previous high was 11 at Milwaukee on March 31.
Poulakidas described his rhythm as something close to autopilot.
"Kind of like a blackout feeling," he said. "You're not noticing the crowd, you're not really feeling any defenders. It's just you and the hoop. It's like being in the backyard having fun."
The night included a block on Devin Booker and a mid-range bucket on the same possession, followed by a postgame exchange with the Suns star that Poulakidas won't soon forget.
"I told him I've been watching him for a while," Poulakidas said, "and he told me he's going to be watching me now. That was a super cool moment."
Kidd was equally complimentary.
"He's a competitor. He wants to win, he plays hard, and he's about the team," Kidd said. "He took great shots in rhythm and also looked for others. A lot of positive things late, especially executing after a timeout."
Marvin Bagley III added 20 points and 8 rebounds, and Christie contributed 18 points on 4-of-9 shooting from deep. Christie called Bagley's performance exactly what Dallas needs from its big man.
"A big that can stretch the floor like that, with touch around the rim — he's very versatile and very skilled," Christie said.
The Mavericks trailed by as many as 18 in the third quarter after Booker and Dillon Brooks — who combined for 65 points — pushed Phoenix to an 88-80 edge heading into the fourth. Dallas outscored the Suns 27-24 in the final period but could not fully erase the deficit.
"It's easy on a back-to-back to let go of the rope," Kidd said, "but the group is competing, playing hard, and playing for one another."
Christie echoed that.
"We continue to show fight and grit each and every game," Christie said. "Last game in LA, we were down 20-something and ended up taking the lead at one point. We've got a lot of fight, and that's encouraging."
The Mavericks played over the final four minutes with Flagg on the sideline, leaning on Johnson for point guard reps. alongside Powell and Cissé. It was a closing unit drawn largely from the team's third group, and still cut it to five before time ran out.
"We had the opportunity to look at others," he said. "At this point in the season, being able to evaluate others in those situations is our main objective."
Poulakidas, for his part, had no doubt Flagg will be just fine. "He's going to see three or four defenders every single night," he said. "What he's done this past week has been incredible. He's a worker, so don't be surprised if you keep seeing those kinds of performances."
Booker finished with 37 points on 13-of-27 shooting, adding 9 assists and a perfect 9-of-9 mark from the line. Brooks shot 11-of-22 for 28 points. Royce O'Neale chipped in 14 off the bench, going 4-of-6 from three. Khaman Maluach set a season high with 14 rebounds.
Dallas turned it over 12 times, leading to 16 Phoenix points — a critical factor in a game decided by five.
The Mavericks fall to 25-55 and travel to San Antonio on Friday. Naji Marshall (left hip contusion) and P.J. Washington (left elbow sprain) did not play. Daniel Gafford, Kyrie Irving, and Dereck Lively II were also inactive.