NBA: Flagg Breaks LeBron James’ Record In Mavericks Victory Over LA Clippers

Cooper Flagg recorded a season-high 35 points and Klay Thompson scored 17 of his 23 in the fourth quarter to rally the Dallas Mavericks to a 114-110 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

It was a record-breaking performance from Flagg, he became the youngest player to score 35 points in an NBA game.

LeBron James is the only other 18-year-old to score 35 points in an NBA game, having done so twice as a rookie for the Cleveland Cavaliers in December 2003.

James’ first 35-point game occurred when he was 18 years, 348 days old, five days older than Flagg on Saturday night.

Thompson hit four 3-pointers in the final period, his final one putting Dallas ahead for good with 1:51 left. He shot 6 of 10 from long distance overall as the Mavericks snapped a three-game losing streak.

Flagg went 13 for 22 from the field in his 20th career game. The top pick in this year’s NBA draft also grabbed eight rebounds. His previous high was 29 points in a 118-115 win over New Orleans on Nov. 21.

Naji Marshall added 18 points and eight boards for Dallas. Brandon Williams had 14 points and seven assists.

Kawhi Leonard led Los Angeles with 30 points and eight rebounds. James Harden added 29 points, 11 assists and eight boards for the Clippers, who dropped their fourth consecutive game. John Collins scored 21 and Ivica Zubac had 19 points and 11 boards.

Los Angeles (5-15) has lost seven straight at the Intuit Dome since beating New Orleans 126-124 on Halloween night.

The Mavericks (6-15) scored 20 points off 18 Clippers turnovers.

Dallas trailed much of the third quarter before Thompson bookended a 13-2 run with 3-pointers to help the Mavericks grab an 87-83 advantage early in the fourth. The teams traded the lead throughout the period before Los Angeles went up 103-101 on a 3 from Collins.

Thompson answered with his sixth 3-pointer to put Dallas back in front, 104-103. Flagg hit six free throws in the final 1:20 to help the Mavericks hold on.

Flagg made 10 baskets and scored 21 points at halftime. His turnaround fadeaway jumper punctuated a 15-2 run that gave Dallas a 33-28 lead early in the second quarter.

Consecutive go-ahead baskets from Leonard helped the Clippers stop the Mavericks’ surge. Leonard knocked down two more shots later in the second to help Los Angeles extend its lead to 47-38.

Nikola Jokic had 26 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, Tim Hardaway Jr. tied a season high with 23 points while making a season-high seven 3-pointers, and the Denver Nuggets beat the host Phoenix Suns 130-112 for their seventh straight road victory.

Jamal Murray had 24 points and five threes for the Nuggets, who were 22 of 38 from distance (57.9%), tying a season high for makes.

Dillon Brooks had 27 points, Devin Booker had 24 and Royce O’Neale had 15 for the Suns, who had won nine of 12 and had advanced to the NBA Cup quarterfinals Friday despite a loss at Oklahoma City.

Spencer Jones’ three gave the Nuggets a 110-89 lead three minutes into the fourth quarter, and the Suns never were closer than 12. Jones had four threes and 16 points.

The Nuggets committed 17 total turnovers leading to 23 Suns points, but their hot shooting was more than compensated.

The Suns shot 44.3% from the field, 33.3% from 3-point range and had seven turnovers.

Flagg is an American Basketball player, he played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils, earning both consensus first-team All-American and consensus national player of the year awards as a freshman.

He was selected with the first overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA draft.

He was signed on July 2, 2025, and he made his regular season debut on October 22, 2025, Flagg put up 10 points, 10 rebounds, and one steal in a 125–92 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.