Flagg scores 45 as Mavericks beat Lakers

Teenage rookie Cooper Flagg starred with 45 points as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 134-128 in the NBA.

The 19-year-old continued his remarkable scoring streak just a day after making history with a 51-point performance.

Record-breaking form

Flagg had already grabbed headlines on Saturday when he became the first teenager to score 50 points in an NBA game during the Mavericks’ defeat to the Orlando Magic.

He followed that effort with another outstanding display, finishing with 45 points, nine assists and eight rebounds against the Lakers.

The teenager is the first rookie since Allen Iverson in 1997 to record back-to-back 40-point games.

Fast start for Mavericks

Dallas set the tone early, taking a 41-30 lead at the end of the first quarter against a Lakers side missing key players including Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

LeBron James led the Lakers with 30 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds.

Team contributions

For Dallas, PJ Washington added 15 points, while Naji Marshall and Brandon Williams contributed 13 points each.

Veteran shooter Klay Thompson also chipped in with 11 points, including three three-pointers.

Season outlook

Despite the victory, the Mavericks remain 12th in the Western Conference and are already out of play-off contention.

The Lakers sit third in the conference standings as the regular season approaches its conclusion.