Cooper Flagg scored 22 points and delivered a one-handed dunk during a decisive run, leading the Dallas Mavericks past the Toronto Raptors 139-129 on Sunday at the American Airlines Center.
Anthony Davis added 25 points and 10 rebounds, while D’Angelo Russell contributed 24 points and six assists off the bench to help Dallas capture its first win with the No. 1 overall pick.
Flagg ignited a 13-0 Mavericks run in the third quarter, finishing it with a dunk over Sandro Mamukelashvili and a free throw to put Dallas up 95-85. He later hit a 3-pointer to stop a 7-0 Toronto run and reach 20 points for the first time.
Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 33 points and 11 rebounds, while Brandon Ingram added 22 and RJ Barrett scored 16 in the losing effort. P.J. Washington supported Dallas with 17 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
Max Christie contributed 17 points and Naji Marshall made all four of his shots and free throws for 12 points, giving the Mavericks three double-figure scorers off the bench. Toronto’s Sandro Mamukelashvili had 16 points in limited minutes.
Dallas outscored the Raptors in the third quarter and held off a late push, maintaining a lead in the final minutes despite Toronto cutting the deficit to single digits. The Mavericks improved to 1-2 on the season, while the Raptors fell to 1-2.
The Mavericks host the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday to finish a back-to-back, while Toronto continues its Texas trip at San Antonio.
