Magic hold off Mavs despite rookie sensation Cooper Flagg’s 51 points
When the Magic took down the Mavericks by one point inside Kia Center on March 5, Orlando needed a last-second dunk from Wendell Carter Jr. to escape at home. The second and final meeting of the regular season between the cross-conference foes at American Airlines Center went a bit differently Friday night.
Behind a season-high 28 points from Carter and contributions from Desmond Bane (27 points), Jalen Suggs (19) and Franz Wagner (18), coach Jamahl Mosley’s squad secured a much-needed 138-127 win on the road. While those four led the way for the Magic, it was Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg who shined bright with a game-high 51 points. Flagg, 19, became the first teenager in league history to post a 50-plus point game.
Dallas coach Jason Kidd was ejected from the game less than two minutes into the fourth quarter after he continued to argue with the officials. With the win, Orlando captured its first victory at Dallas (24-53) since Jan. 8, 2011 and swept the Mavs in the regular season for the first time since 1997-98.
Matching their win-total from a year ago with five contests still remaining, the Magic (41-36) wrap up their two-game trip Sunday at New Orleans in the first game of a back-to-back. Orlando hosts Detroit the following night. Wendell’s way The Magic center scored 13 of his 17 first-half points by remaining aggressive around the rim, getting to the free-throw line and taking advantage of his matchup against Dallas big man Daniel Gafford.
Carter added nine points in the third quarter. Knocking down all 10 of free-throw attempts, he scored 20-plus points for just the fifth time this season. He totaled six rebounds and three assists.