Cooper Flagg torched the Los Angeles Lakers for 45 points on Sunday night, burying their injury-depleted roster. After the 134-128 win, a Dallas Mavericks teammate interrupted Flagg’s postgame interview with a unique six-word remark.
Cooper Flagg Energizes Dallas Mavericks with Record-Breaking Night Against the Los Angeles Lakers
After his historic 51-point explosion against the Orlando Magic on Friday, Flagg put up another iconic performance against the Lakers on Sunday night.
While Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves were notable absentees at the American Airlines Center, the crowd was treated to a Cooper Flagg special. The Mavericks phenom dropped 45 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds against Los Angeles.
This was Flagg’s second consecutive game reaching the 40-point threshold, and gave Dallas its first home win in months.
However, one of the defining moments of the night came after the final buzzer, when Flagg’s teammate P.J. Washington crashed the frame during the rookie’s postgame interview and remarked: “I pledge allegiance to the Flagg.”
“I pledge allegiance to the Flagg.”
— P.J. Washington during Cooper Flagg’s postgame interview. 🤣🤣
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 6, 2026
Washington backed up his postgame comedy with a crucial 15-point, 6-rebound performance. After the game, he also gave a shoutout to the Mavericks’ beloved rookie with a social media post.
On a night that saw LeBron James shoulder the offensive burden for the Lakers with a 30-point, 15-assist outing, it was Flagg who routinely collapsed the Los Angeles defense and solidified his case for Rookie of the Year. He became the first NBA rookie to score 40 or more points in back-to-back games since Allen Iverson (1996-97 season).
Sharing the court with James, Flagg also co-scripted another record for the league’s history books: The two became the first pair in league history to each score at least 20 points in the same game, with one player aged 40 or older and the other still a teenager.
Flagg was candid in his assessment of the ROTY race, saying, “I think it’s definitely some sort of statement. But it just goes back to what I said. I’m confident in myself, and I know what I’m capable of. I’ll just let the rest of the stuff figure itself out.”
The 19-year-old also received backing from NBA legend Carmelo Anthony, who said, “My pick was Knueppel… but when you look at what Cooper Flagg is actually doing… Cooper has everything you could possibly want from a young superstar… I don’t see too many young players have what he has. I’m going to go with Cooper.”
The Mavericks hold a 25-53 record and are out of postseason contention, but the production from their No. 1 pick bodes well for a rapid rebuild for the franchise.
