DALLAS (AP) 鈥� Cooper Flagg didn’t get a call, and his coach and a teammate got kicked out of the game trying to stick up for the rookie No. 1 pick of the Dallas Mavericks.
Less than a quarter later, Flagg became the first teenager to score 51 points in an NBA game in on Friday night.
Flagg scored 24 points in the fourth quarter after for complaining about what they thought was a no-call when Desmond Bane fouled Flagg.
Kidd was tossed even though he was assessed just one technical foul, while Marshall had gotten another tech at the end of the first half. His second came just moments after Kidd was thrown out.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see,鈥� Flagg said after going 19 of 30 from the field and making all seven of his free throws to top his previous career high of 49 in a 123-121 loss to Charlotte on Jan. 29.
鈥淚 already know that coach has my back and Naji … I know he has my back for sure out there,鈥� Flagg said. 鈥淛ust seeing their emotion, seeing them fight for me and fight for the calls. Definitely some emotion, and motivated me even further.鈥�
Flagg initially exited the game with 45 points, but assistant coach Frank Vogel, filling in for Kidd, told the 19-year-old he was just resting him during a defensive possession.
Vogel called a timeout to get Flagg back in with 3:22 remaining, and Flagg made history a little more than a minute later. He missed a 3-pointer the first time down, then missed a follow attempt on Brandon Williams’ miss, got the rebound again and made a corner 3.
On the next Dallas possession, he hit an off-balance shot in the lane while getting fouled to clinch 50, made the free throw and left to a standing ovation.
The Mavericks were down 30 when Flagg started his fourth-quarter scoring barrage in what ended up being their 14th consecutive home loss. It’s the longest home losing streak since Dallas lost the first 19 games at since-demolished Reunion Arena in 1993-94.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always fun getting into that type of mode,鈥� Flagg said. 鈥淭he basket feels big. My teammates are looking out for you, helping you out. But I like to win. That was my main focus. It鈥檚 hard for me to fully enjoy myself out there when we鈥檙e down 20, down 10, down 15, for the majority of the game.鈥�
Flagg said he thought it was obvious Bane had fouled him in the opening two minutes of the fourth.
鈥淚 think it was warranted,鈥� Flagg said about Kidd’s reaction. 鈥淚鈥檓 not going to lie. I talked to Bane after the play, and he told me he was intentionally trying to foul me. I honestly don鈥檛 know how they didn鈥檛 see that. Obviously, they must not have had the right view, or they weren鈥檛 paying attention. But they missed it.鈥�
Kidd said there was 鈥渁 lot of excitement in the back鈥� as he watched Flagg on a TV delay, hearing the crowd reaction before the buckets as the former Duke standout was 8 of 12 from the field and 4 of 6 from deep in the fourth.
Flagg’s previous career high came against former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, the fourth overall pick and fellow contender for rookie of the year.
Kidd continues to stump for Flagg to win the same award that Kidd won with the Mavs 31 years ago, and dropped a Michael Jordan reference after Flagg’s latest milestone. Yes, Jordan was the 1985 Rookie of the Year.
鈥淗e should be rookie of the year,鈥� Kidd said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 unbelievable. The country鈥檚 not watching the same thing we get to watch on a daily basis. He鈥檚 in rare air. He鈥檚 with the GOAT when you talk about MJ and what he did in his rookie year. And as a teenager, to see what Cooper鈥檚 doing, just the excitement, the joy, playing the game, win or lose, his spirit, is about winning. Right now we鈥檙e not.鈥�
For at least one night, the rookie overshadowed the long home losing streak, even though he couldn’t end it.
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