Boom! 42 Points and 7 Boards—Record After Record as Flag Shows No. 1 Pick Talent, Surpassing LeBron and Drawing MJ-Level Comparisons

On December 16 (Beijing time), the Dallas Mavericks suffered a 133–140 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz after giving up a late lead. Despite the setback, No. 1 overall pick Flag delivered the best performance of his young career, erupting for a career-high 42 points along with 7 rebounds and 6 assists. He shattered multiple milestones along the way—becoming the first player under 19 to score 40+ in a game and climbing to third all-time in points scored before turning 19, moving past Tracy McGrady—only for the night to end in a painful overtime reversal.

Flag set the tone immediately, coming out with a hot hand as Utah’s defense offered little in the way of targeted resistance. In the first quarter, he went 5-for-7 from the field and 4-for-5 at the line to rack up 14 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. Time and again, he attacked comfortably, getting deep into the paint and living near the free-throw line.

He stayed in rhythm in the second quarter, even knocking down a three-pointer while continuing to punish the Jazz off the dribble. Flag posted 10 more points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists in the period. By halftime, he had piled up 24 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal in just 18 minutes, shooting 7-for-9 from the field, 1-for-2 from three, and 9-for-11 at the stripe—good for a blistering 77.8% shooting. It was a new personal best for first-half scoring and made him the first Maverick this season to hit 20+ points before the break.

By the time the first half ended, Flag had already crossed into record territory. He surpassed McGrady to become the No. 3 scorer in NBA history before age 19, trailing only LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. He also made history with his third 20+ point half at age 18—more than anyone else has ever recorded at that age.

Flag’s efficiency dipped in the third quarter, but his impact remained clear. He went 2-for-8 from the floor and missed both of his three-point attempts, scoring 4 points while adding 2 assists and 2 blocks. Even with the cooler stretch, he still entered the fourth with 26 points—hardly a quiet night.

Early in the final period, he returned and quickly added 6 points in three minutes, pushing past 30 and helping Dallas build a six-point lead. After he reached 37 points, he had already set a new career high. But with 53 seconds left, the Jazz completed the comeback and grabbed the lead. Flag responded with a crucial and-one opportunity, yet missed the free throw that could have tied the game. Dallas still forced overtime after Christie battled for an offensive rebound, drew a foul, and hit two free throws to level the score.

In overtime, Flag reached 40+, officially becoming the youngest 40-point scorer in NBA history—eclipsing LeBron, whose best at age 18 was 37. But Utah took control in the final 90 seconds, building a five-point cushion, and Dallas ultimately ran out of answers.

Flag finished with 42 points in 42 minutes on 13-of-27 shooting, 1-of-4 from three, and 15-of-20 at the free-throw line, plus 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. In the extra period, he went 0-for-2 from the field and scored only 2 points at the line as the Jazz sealed the win.

Dallas media also highlighted just how rare his stat line was: among rookies who have recorded at least 37 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal in a single game, the only names alongside Flag are Kevin Durant and Michael Jordan.