‘We Just Played Our Game’: Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis Lead Dallas Mavericks Past Toronto Raptors For First Win

Grant AfsethOctober 26, 2025October 26, 2025no comment

Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors, NBA

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The Dallas Mavericks’ first win of the season came with a thunderous exclamation point from their youngest player. Cooper Flagg scored 22 points, including a soaring one-handed dunk over Sandro Mamukelashvili that brought American Airlines Center to its feet, as the Mavericks defeated the Toronto Raptors 139–129 on Sunday night.

Anthony Davis powered Dallas with 25 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks, anchoring a performance that saw seven Mavericks finish in double figures. The win gave Dallas its first victory with the No. 1 overall pick and marked the third of five consecutive home games to open the season.

Cooper Flagg Sparks the Run That Changed the Game

The Mavericks broke the game open midway through the third quarter behind a 13-0 run that began and ended with Flagg. The 18-year-old opened the surge with a jumper and punctuated it with the highlight of the night — a one-handed dunk in transition after taking a bounce pass from D’Angelo Russell, drawing a foul and completing the three-point play to put Dallas ahead 95-85.

Afterward, Flagg said those sequences represented the pace and energy the Mavericks want to embody.

“That’s how we want to play — fast and with pace,” Flagg said. “The transition opened up, and I just went up and made a play.”

Flagg later drained a 3-pointer to end a Toronto rally, reaching the 20-point mark for the first time in his NBA career.

Head coach Jason Kidd praised the rookie’s growing impact beyond his scoring.

“That was nice,” Kidd said. “The lob was great, and the crowd loved it. His stat line doesn’t show everything he did. His impact, especially when he and AD were on the floor together, was huge.”

Anthony Davis Makes History

For the third straight game, Davis delivered a 20-point double-double while providing elite defensive presence. His efficiency stood out — 11-of-14 from the field — as he became the youngest player in NBA history to start a season with at least two steals and one block in each of the first three games.

Davis said the team’s offensive rhythm came from patience and trust.

“Just moving the basketball, making the right plays,” Davis said. “Each game we’re getting better — from Wednesday to Friday to today. We’ve been trusting our offense and trusting the ball. It’s going to find the open guy.”

The veteran forward also tied Hall of Famer David Robinson for 18th-most career 20-point double-doubles with 384. For Davis, who continues to anchor the Mavericks’ inside presence, the focus remains on creating second chances and controlling the paint.

“They were a little undersized, especially when Poeltl went to the bench,” Davis said. “So I tried to give us more possessions. We’re a big team, and we’ve got to do a better job creating second chances on the glass. That happens a lot when I’m at the five, so that’s what I focused on.”

Russell, Christie Power the Bench Surge

The Mavericks’ bench unit provided a massive boost, scoring 61 points — the fourth-highest total by any second unit in the NBA this season. Russell led the charge with 24 points, six assists, and three steals, while Max Christie scored 17 points on efficient 5-of-8 shooting. Naji Marshall added 12 points on perfect shooting, helping Dallas maintain its edge when Davis and Flagg rested.

Russell said the performance reflected the group’s commitment to team basketball.

“That’s team basketball,” Russell said. “Nobody felt like they had to do too much. Sharing’s caring.”

Kidd noted that Russell’s steadiness and leadership stood out after seeing limited minutes earlier in the week.

“That’s the DLo we know — playmaking, scoring, finding guys,” Kidd said. “He impacted both ends after not playing much in the second half last game. Tonight, the rotation was different, and he gave us a big lift.”

Building Trust Around the Rookie

Flagg’s 22 points came without a single turnover, making him the youngest starter in NBA history to record a 20-point game with zero giveaways. He also became just the fourth Mavericks rookie to start his career with three straight double-figure scoring games, joining Dennis Smith Jr. and Sean Rooks on that list.

After the game, Davis reflected on his role as a mentor to the 18-year-old forward.

“I was in his position once,” Davis said. “The good thing is he embraces it. He’s Cooper Flagg — his name already holds weight in the basketball world. But he’s humble. A lot of guys come in feeling entitled, but he’s the opposite. He embraces rookie duties. And when he makes big plays, we’re right there cheering for him.”

Flagg said the encouragement from his veteran teammates has helped him settle in quickly.

“It feels great,” Flagg said. “Getting our first win at home means a lot. We want to build off this, use it as a baseline, and keep improving.”

Kidd added that the coaching staff has emphasized letting Flagg play through mistakes while maintaining confidence.

“You’ve got to live with mistakes,” Kidd said. “There’s no perfect game. We have to go through the fire to become a championship team.”

A Complete Team Effort

Dallas shot 58% from the field and recorded 32 assists, topping 30 points in every quarter. The Mavericks also tallied 12 steals — their third consecutive game with double-digit takeaways — and outscored the Raptors in every key category: points in the paint (70-58), second-chance points (12-11), fast-break points (25-21), and bench scoring (61-40).

Kidd said the key stretch came in the third quarter, when the Mavericks tightened their defense and limited turnovers.

“We were active, we played fast, and we took care of the ball,” Kidd said. “Only one turnover in the third after 12 in the first half — that’s growth.”

For Davis, sustaining that discipline will be critical heading into Monday’s matchup against the defending champion Thunder.

“We’ve got to close halves better and cut down on turnovers,” Davis said. “OKC feeds off turnovers, so we can’t give them those opportunities. But defensively, our urgency and desperation tonight are what we’ve got to bring tomorrow.”

Looking Ahead

The Mavericks improved to 4–1 in their last five meetings against Toronto and 8–2 in their last 10. The 139 points marked a season-high total for Dallas, which will conclude its back-to-back set Monday night against Oklahoma City before wrapping up the season-opening homestand later this week against Indiana.

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Grant Afseth

Senior Writer

Grant Afseth is a Senior Writer for DallasHoopsJournal.com, where he leads in-depth coverage of the Mavericks, Wings, and more. Between a focus on the latest news, closer looks at games, front office strategy, and more, Afseth provides objective coverage. Afseth contributes broader NBA coverage across platforms and has been cited in national outlets for his reporting and analysis. With nearly a decade of journalism experience, Afseth has covered the NBA and WNBA for multiple major outlets, including Athlon Sports, BallIsLife, Sportskeeda, and RG.org. He previously reported on the Indiana Pacers for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and the Mavericks for FanNation.

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‘We Just Played Our Game’: Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis Lead Dallas Mavericks Past Toronto Raptors For First Win