LeBron Praises Cooper Flagg After 45 Point Game

Cooper Flagg scored 45 points as the Mavericks beat the Lakers 134-128 on Sunday night. LeBron James had 30 points, 15 assists, and nine rebounds, but he also praised Flagg and Jason Kidd after the game. LeBron said Kidd was unfairly criticized for letting Flagg handle point guard duties early in the season. Flagg had some rough moments as Dallas' main ball-handler while Kyrie Irving recovered from a torn ACL before being shut down for the season. Back at forward, Flagg has taken off. The 2025 No. 1 pick scored a career-high 51 points against Orlando on Friday, then followed it with 45 against Los Angeles as he pushes for Rookie of the Year.