Cooper Flag and Bronnie James brought some summer league excitement to NBA fans, even though their combined score in Thursday’s matchup between the Mavericks and Lakers was just 18 points.
Flag, making his debut in a Dallas uniform after being picked in this year’s draft, notched 10 points shooting 5-for-21, along with six rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
James managed to score eight points, but was less efficient, going 2-for-8 from the field.
Dallas edged out the Lakers with an 87-85 win at the Thomas & Mac Center in Las Vegas, narrowly escaping as James missed a potential game-winner at the buzzer.
Later, Flag remarked on his performance, acknowledging it wasn’t his best.
“I think it might be one of the worst games of my life,” he stated. “But we got the win, and that’s what really counts.”
Neither player contributed to the score in the second half.
Throughout the game, they frequently matched up defensively against each other.
James initially scored his first point with a smooth stepback jumper over Flag, who stands at 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot wingspan.
James also managed another field goal before missing the next six attempts.
Flag eventually found his rhythm, facing Dalton Knecht and scoring with a postfade shot amid traffic.
Bronnie had some notable defensive plays against Flag, including an impressive near steal in the second quarter that was instead called a foul.
Flag attempted a strong dunk in the second quarter, but it didn’t go in.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, present at the game, expressed admiration for his rookie star.
“I think Cooper did an incredible job,” Kidd said during halftime. “He handled the ball well and found open shots for his teammates; you can already see what he’s capable of in this league.”
Despite the praise, Flag remained unsatisfied with how he played, especially in the second half.
“It’s not up to my standard, but I’m going to improve,” he noted post-game. “I’ll be fine.”
