Kon Knueppel delivered a career night and the finishing touch at the line, scoring a career-high 34 points as the Charlotte Hornets edged the Dallas Mavericks 123-121 on Thursday night, overshadowing a historic scoring performance from rookie Cooper Flagg.
Knueppel sank two free throws with 4.1 seconds remaining to break a tie, then watched Flagg’s desperation heave at the buzzer hit the back rim. The Charlotte rookie also set a franchise rookie record by drilling eight 3-pointers, helping the Hornets win their fifth straight game — their longest streak in nearly two years.
Flagg was sensational in defeat, pouring in 49 points to set an NBA record for most points in a game by a teenager. The 19-year-old went 20-for-29 from the field, added 10 rebounds and eclipsed Cliff Robinson’s long-standing mark of 45 points set in 1980.
With the score tied in the final seconds, Flagg threw an errant pass near midcourt that Knueppel intercepted. Knueppel drove the lane and was fouled by Flagg as the ball became wedged between the rim and backboard, setting up the decisive free throws.
Brandon Miller added 23 points for Charlotte, extending his streak to nine straight games with at least 20, while LaMelo Ball chipped in 22 points and hit six 3-pointers.
Klay Thompson scored 16 points off the bench for Dallas, but the Mavericks dropped their third straight game — all at home — after a season-best four-game winning streak. Charlotte completed a road back-to-back sweep, while Dallas was swept in a home back-to-back.
The game marked the first NBA matchup between former Duke teammates Knueppel and Flagg. At halftime, the Mavericks honored Mark Aguirre by retiring his jersey, making him the fifth player in franchise history to receive the honor.
Up next:
Hornets: Host San Antonio on Saturday.
Mavericks: At Houston on Saturday night.
