Rookie sensation Cooper Flagg scored 22 points and punctuated the night with a soaring one-handed dunk during a key third-quarter run, helping the Dallas Mavericks defeat the Toronto Raptors 139-129 on Sunday for their first victory of the season with the No. 1 overall pick in the lineup.
Anthony Davis led Dallas with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while D’Angelo Russell added 24 points and six assists off the bench. The Mavericks, playing the third contest of a five-game homestand, will host defending champion Oklahoma City on Monday to complete a back-to-back set.
Scottie Barnes starred for Toronto with 33 points and 11 rebounds, but his efforts couldn’t prevent the Raptors from dropping the first of two straight games in Texas. They’ll face the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night.
Flagg sparked a decisive 13-0 run midway through the third quarter, opening the stretch with a bucket and capping it with a highlight dunk over Sandro Mamukelashvili off a bounce pass from Russell. The play — and ensuing free throw — gave Dallas a 95-85 lead and ignited the home crowd.
The former Duke standout later stopped a brief Toronto surge in the fourth quarter, drilling a clutch 3-pointer to reach 20 points for the first time in his young career and restore a double-digit lead.
P.J. Washington added 17 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, hitting key shots late to fend off the Raptors’ comeback attempts. Max Christie contributed 17 points, while Naji Marshall scored a perfect 4-for-4 from both the field and the free-throw line, finishing with 12.
For Toronto, Brandon Ingram scored 22 points, and both RJ Barrett and Mamukelashvili chipped in 16.
Up Next:
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Raptors: Continue their Texas swing against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.
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Mavericks: Host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday before wrapping up their season-opening five-game homestand against Indiana.
