Wendell Carter Jr. threw down a go-ahead dunk with 1.4 seconds remaining to lift the Orlando Magic to a dramatic 115–114 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night, spoiling the long-awaited return of rookie star Cooper Flagg.
Flagg appeared poised to deliver the win for Dallas when he completed a three-point play with 37.3 seconds left, pushing the Mavericks ahead by four. Orlando answered quickly, however. Jalen Suggs drilled a clutch 3-pointer with 32.2 seconds remaining, trimming the deficit to one. After Flagg missed a jumper on the ensuing possession, Suggs attacked the lane and slipped a pass inside to Carter, who rose for the decisive slam.
Tristan da Silva paced Orlando with 19 points, while Suggs added 17 points and seven assists. Paolo Banchero recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Carter finished with 15 points, including the game-winner.
Flagg scored 18 points on 7-of-22 shooting in 26 minutes in his first game back after missing eight contests with a sprained left foot. The No. 1 overall pick and the league’s leading rookie scorer also contributed five rebounds, six assists and four blocks.
Veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson led Dallas with 24 points off the bench, knocking down seven 3-pointers. Khris Middleton added 19 points — 10 of them in the fourth quarter — but the Mavericks dropped their 15th game in the last 17.
Flagg reached another milestone during the game. His putback early in the fourth quarter pushed him past 1,000 career points in his 50th NBA game. At 19, he joined Michael Jordan and Luka Dončić as the only players since the 1976 NBA-ABA merger to record at least 1,000 points, 300 rebounds and 200 assists in their first 50 games, according to ESPN Insights.
Dallas played without Brandon Williams, who sat out with a left quad contusion.
Up next: The Mavericks visit the Boston Celtics on Friday, while the Magic travel to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.
