NBA Rookie of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg delivered a historic performance Friday night, scoring a career-high 51 points in a 138–127 loss for the Dallas Mavericks against the Orlando Magic. The 19-year-old was dominant offensively, shooting 19-for-30 from the field, knocking down 6 of 9 attempts from three-point range, and converting all seven of his free throws to surpass his previous career high of 49 points.

Flagg erupted for 24 points in the fourth quarter amid a chaotic stretch that saw head coach Jason Kidd and forward Naji Marshall ejected while arguing a perceived missed foul on Desmond Bane. Kidd was assessed a single technical foul but was still tossed, while Marshall picked up his second technical shortly after Kidd’s ejection, following an earlier one late in the first half.

After Flagg was briefly taken out with 45 points, assistant coach Frank Vogel, filling in for Kidd, assured the rookie it was only for a defensive possession. Vogel then called a timeout with 3:22 remaining to reinsert Flagg, who made history moments later. After missing a three-pointer and a follow-up attempt, Flagg grabbed his own rebound and buried a corner three. On the next possession, he converted an off-balance shot in the lane while being fouled, made the ensuing free throw to reach 50, and exited to a standing ovation.

The outburst came despite Dallas trailing by as many as 30 points, as the Mavericks suffered their 14th consecutive home loss, the franchise’s longest since losing 19 straight at Reunion Arena during the 1993–94 season. It marked the third time this season Flagg has scored at least 40 points and made him the first teenager and youngest player in NBA history to record a 50-point game.