The Dallas Mavericks are off to an ugly 0-2 start, getting blown out by the San Antonio Spurs in the first game of the season before losing to the Washington Wizards in their second matchup on Friday.
Defense has been a big issue for Dallas despite the presence of center/power forward Anthony Davis. The Mavs allowed the Spurs and Wizards to score more than 115 points against them. The team ranks 19th in defensive rating.
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If there’s one silver lining for the Mavericks so far, however, it’s their prized rookie in Cooper Flagg. Admittedly, the No. 1 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft has had some struggles playing point guard. Despite not being in his natural position, though, he has put up solid numbers.
In Dallas’ 117-107 loss to the Wizards, Flagg scored 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting and recorded five rebounds, six assists, one steal and one block.
According to Polymarket Hoops, Flagg became the youngest player since LeBron James to record a 15-5-5 game.
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James recorded his first 15-5-5 game in his NBA debut, when he tallied 25 points, six rebounds, nine assists and four steals against the Sacramento Kings back in 2003. The then-Cleveland Cavaliers youngster was 18 years and 303 days old.
For comparison, during the showdown with Washington, Flagg was 18 years and 307 days old.
Flagg is off to a promising start, although he has been largely outshone by other rookies like V.J. Edgecombe of the Philadelphia 76ers, Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs and Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets.
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Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) poses for a photo during 2025 media day.Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Mavericks host the Toronto Raptors next on Sunday, and it will be interesting to see if Flagg can further elevate his game and finally lead Dallas to its first win of the season. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Related: Cooper Flagg Receives Rare Gift After Making NBA Debut
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Oct 26, 2025, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.