Magic overcome Cooper Flagg’s 51-point night as Mavericks lose 14th straight home game

DALLAS (AP) — Wendell Carter Jr. scored 28 points and the Orlando Magic beat Dallas 138-127 on Friday night, overcoming a 51-point showing from rookie No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg and handing the Mavericks their 14th consecutive loss at home.

Desmond Bane had 27 points as the Magic remained a half-game behind eighth-place Charlotte in the Eastern Conference. Orlando is safely in the play-in tournament with an outside shot at the top six and automatic entry into the East playoffs.

Coach Jason Kidd and Maji Marshall were ejected seconds apart early in the fourth quarter for the lottery-bound Mavericks, who are on their longest home losing streak at 25-year-old American Airlines Center. Dallas lost the first 19 games of the 1993-94 season at since-demolished Reunion Arena.

Flagg was caught up in the disagreement that led to Kidd’s ejection, drawing his own technical foul before Kidd went onto the court apparently to protest the same non-call that drew Flagg’s ire.

The 19-year-old responded with 24 points in the fourth quarter to become the youngest in NBA history with a 50-point game.

Assistant coach Frank Vogel, who filled in for Kidd, briefly pulled Flagg late in the fourth quarter when he had 45 points. After returning, Flagg hit a corner 3-pointer, then clinched 50 points with a bucket and foul, making the free throw and coming out of the game to standing ovation.

Flagg went 19 of 30 from the field, including 6 of 9 from long range, and made all seven free throws.

Jalen Suggs and Tristan da Silva scored 19 points apiece for the Magic, and Franz Wagner added 18.

Brandon Williams scored 23 points for Dallas.

P.J. Washington Jr., Dallas’ third-leading scorer, missed a third consecutive game with an illness.

Up next

Magic: At New Orleans on Sunday.

Mavericks: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba