On Monday night, Cooper Flagg broke the record for the most points scored by an 18-year-old in a game in NBA history — taking that distinction from LeBron James.
Flagg scored a career-high 42 points — in a career that is just 27 games old — to go with seven rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal for the Dallas Mavericks.
But the biggest steal of the night was made by the Utah Jazz, who were on the other side of Flagg’s historic night. Despite what Flagg was able to do, it was Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, an unusual supporting cast and the Jazz that left the Delta Center with a 140-133 overtime win.
Lineup changes and late execution
The Jazz decided to give Jusuf Nurkic, Kevin Love and Svi Mykhailiuk the night off, leaving the team without a traditional center, without most of their veteran players and two open spots in the starting lineup.
Kyle Filipowski and Brice Sensabaugh were called on to round out the starting five and Filipowski had one of his most well-rounded games with 25 points, nine rebounds and some really admirable defensive work.
Taylor Hendricks and Cody Williams came off the bench to add support, and although they haven’t been given much playing time lately and have spent most of their time with the Salt Lake City Stars, they combined for 22 points, and the 11 points from Williams was his season-high.
The new lineups and all-around youth of the team the Jazz fielded on Monday did lead to some weirdness and some early struggles, but that is where Markkanen and George came in to steady the ship.
Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey (19) dunks during the first half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) makes a pass during the first half of an NBA game at against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) drives to the basket against Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) during the first half of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy reacts after a call went against the team during the first half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey (19) drives past Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) during the first half of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) reacts after being fouled during a layup during the first half of an NBA game against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) reacts after making a 3-pointer during the first half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) looks on during the first half of an NBA game against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkić, left, and forward Kevin Love, right, laugh on the bench during the first half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) drives past Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (1) during the first half of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) looks on during the first half of an NBA game against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks (0) watches the ball after shooting a 3-pointer during the first half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy complains to an official about a call during the first half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks (0) shoots over Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall (13) during the first half of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) moves the ball against Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (8) during the second half of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) looks on during the first half of an NBA game against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (8) is fouled by Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) during the second half of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) shoots over Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie (00) during the second half of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) drives to the basket against Utah Jazz guard Walter Clayton Jr. (13) and forward Kyle Filipowski (22) during the second half of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) drives to the basket against Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) during the second half of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) celebrates after making a three pointer during the second half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) grabs a rebound against Dallas Mavericks forward Dwight Powell (7) during the second half of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz guard Svi Mykhailiuk (10) looks on from the bench during the second half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) reacts after making a three pointer during the second half of an NBA game against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz guard Svi Mykhailiuk, left, and Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love, right, look on from the bench during a timeout during the second half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz forward Kyle Anderson (2) moves the ball during the first half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) and Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) get tangled up while competing for a loose ball during the second half of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) is fouled by Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) during the second half of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) drives to the basket against Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey (19) during the second half of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) is fouled by Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey (19) during the second half of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) high fives forward Kyle Filipowski (22) after the play during the second half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) reacts after being fouled while making a lay up during the second half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz guard Svi Mykhailiuk (10) greets teammates during a timeout during the second half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Fans celebrate after a breakaway layup by Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (8) during the second half of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
A fan nervously watches during the fourth quarter of an NBA game between the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love (42) reacts to a Keyonte George three pointer during overtime of an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) drives to the basket an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
\u23Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) shoots over Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) during overtime of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) and forward Kyle Filipowski (22) embrace after an NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. The Jazz won 140-133 in overtime. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News 
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) steals a rebound away from Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) during overtime of an NBA game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
George finished with 37 points and six assists and Markkanen closed out the night with 33 points and 16 rebounds.
Markkanen had some trouble scoring early, which was compensated for by George’s 24 first-half points, and then Markkanen came alive in the fourth quarter and overtime, hitting big shots and maybe more importantly, rebounding like his life depended on it.
“His his stat line looks sort of familiar, but the way that he rebounded the ball, especially late in the game, is something that we need him to channel,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said of Markkanen.
“His aggressiveness and physicality to rebound down the stretch of the game is why we won.”
Cooper Flagg
A win for the Mavericks could have been a nice early birthday/Christmas gift for Flagg on top of the magnitude of what he accomplished on Monday.
Not only did he score more points in a single game than any 18-year-old in NBA history, he also matched Mark Aguirre for the most points scored by a rookie in Mavericks history and now trails only James and Kobe Bryant for the most total points scored in the NBA before turning 19.
Flagg’s 19th birthday is Saturday.
But the loss made it hard for the rookie and 2025 No. 1 overall pick to celebrate.
Cooper Flagg on scoring a career-high 42 points:
“It’s tough. I want to look at it [in] wins and losses. Obviously we didn’t win. It’s tough for me to want to be happy, but obviously it’s a success and we’re going to try to keep getting better from here.” pic.twitter.com/FW3UB1vQh5
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) December 16, 2025
“It’s tough. I want to look at it in wins and losses. Obviously we didn’t win,” Flagg said. “It’s tough for me to want to be happy or anything like that.”
Frankly, Flagg was on pace to score more and to get the bonus of the win, but the Jazz, shockingly played really good defense near the end of regulation and then in overtime.
A lot of the time, it was George who was getting the switch and tasked with guarding Flagg. George had a hard time with that early on, but impressed late.
“Hats off to him, he played a phenomenal game — getting downhill, getting fouled. That’s what you want from your top guys,” George said of Flagg.
“But just understanding which way he wanted to go, and then overtime is winning time, so that was the main thing. Just telling myself I wasn’t tired, the group was telling each other we wasn’t tired, and we knew the game was gonna come down to stops.”
So, Flagg will come away with a historic individual performance, but the Jazz got the team victory.