On Sunday evening, the Dallas Mavericks got into the win column at home for the first time in over two months with a relatively comfortable victory over what's left of the Los Angeles Lakers. It was another epic game for rookie sensation Cooper Flagg, who scored 45 points on the heels of his 51-point output earlier in the weekend.
Due to the outbursts, Flagg has now hopped back into the driver's seat for a coveted award.
“Flagg overtook Charlotte Hornets sharpshooter Kon Knueppel as the favorite for the (Rookie of the Year) award, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Flagg has -250 odds ahead of Knueppel at +180,” reported Tim McMahon of ESPN.
Flagg and former Duke teammate Knueppel have been in a two-man race for the Rookie of the Year award throughout this season. Over the last couple of months, it appeared as though Knueppel might have had the edge, thanks both to his own impressive play, as well as the surprising surge of the Charlotte Hornets up the Eastern Conference standings.
However, Flagg has now scored 96 points in a two-game span and reassumed his position as the favorite for the award as the season enters its final week.
Flagg has shifted to become the sole focus for the Mavericks moving forward, as the team dealt Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline. Kyrie Irving has not appeared in a game all season as he rehabs his torn ACL from a season ago, and the Mavericks are hoping for a second straight year of lottery luck in order to add another blue-chip prospect to the mix in June.
The Mavericks will next take the floor on Tuesday evening vs the Los Angeles Clippers on the road.
