Cooper Flagg scored 33 points with nine rebounds and nine assists, while Anthony Davis added 31 points and nine boards, leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 131-130 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday at American Airlines Center.
Flagg hit a career-high fourth 3-pointer to give Dallas a 126-121 lead with 3:17 remaining and later assisted Naji Marshall’s corner 3 that made it 131-125 with 1:12 left.
Dallas built a 50-29 lead early in the second quarter, but the Nuggets erased the deficit and held their first lead of the game early in the fourth quarter. Peyton Watson’s final-second 3-point attempt rimmed out, sealing the one-point win for the Mavericks, who snapped a two-game losing streak.
Jamal Murray led Denver with 31 points and 14 assists, while Nikola Jokic added 29 points and 14 assists, although the Nuggets saw their 11-game road winning streak end. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 23 points, hitting seven 3-pointers, matching a season high against his former team.
Dallas shot 57% overall and 41% from three-point range, controlling the pace despite playing on the second night of a back-to-back. Flagg tied his career high for points in a quarter with 14 in the first, going 7-of-7 from the field, including two 3-pointers.
Denver lost Cameron Johnson to an apparent knee injury early in the fourth quarter; the extent of the injury will be determined after an MRI. The Nuggets pulled within one in the final minute after forcing a 24-second violation, but the Mavericks held on, marking their second win over Denver this season.
The Mavericks (12-19) will visit Golden State next, while the Nuggets (21-8) return home to face Minnesota on Thursday. Dallas has won both meetings with Denver in December.
