Mavericks star Cooper Flagg’s big game draws ‘mature’ Nikola Jokic take

The Dallas Mavericks continue to see tangible proof that Cooper Flagg is far ahead of schedule, and Tuesday night’s dramatic win over the Denver Nuggets may have been the clearest example yet.

In an extremely tightly contested 131-130 victory, Dallas survived a late Denver rally after leading by as many as 18 points. While Nikola Jokic nearly authored another signature comeback — finishing with 29 points and 14 assists before drawing the defense and passing it to Peyton Watson for a potential game-winning three that rimmed out, it was Flagg’s poise that stood out most to the three-time MVP.

After the game, Jokic offered rare praise for the 19-year-old rookie, contextualizing Flagg’s impact beyond the box score.

“He was definitely a hot hand out there,” said Jokic on Flagg via ESPN’s Tim MacMohan. “He doesn’t feel like he’s so young out there. He seems like he played meaningful games and he was winning before. That’s my opinion. He looked really mature out there.”

That maturity showed throughout the night. Flagg delivered a career performance with 33 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, narrowly missing his first NBA triple-double.

He shot an efficient 14-of-21 from the field and knocked down four three-pointers, with 22 of his points coming before halftime as Dallas built early control.

Anthony Davis provided a dominant interior presence, posting 31 points, nine rebounds and four assists, marking his first back-to-back 30-point outings since joining the Mavericks.

Naji Marshall added 15 points to extend his streak of scoring at least 15 while shooting 50 percent or better to nine straight games.

Denver countered with Jamal Murray’s 31 points and season-high 14 assists, while former Maverick Tim Hardaway Jr. chipped in 23 points off seven made threes. Still, Dallas’ offensive efficiency, finishing above 57 percent from the floor and clearing the 50-40-90 marks as a team, proved decisive.

More importantly, it reinforced a growing belief that Flagg isn’t just producing — he’s handling pressure like a pro. With another test looming against Golden State Warriors, Dallas may be watching its rookie grow up in real time.

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