Cooper Flagg 45 points vs Lakers (Apr 5, 2026): 3rd-best of 65 games
45 PTS · 14-of-27 FG · 2-of-4 3P · 15-of-17 FT · 38:31 MIN
Usual before this game: 20.8 PTS · 16.8 FGA · 33.8 MIN, from 64 regular-season games
3rd-best Game Score of the 65 games the source holds this season: 39.5 against a usual 16.2 (+23.3)
above usual
No more than 2 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far above the usual comes about once or twice a season.
How the score worksWhy did Cooper Flagg score 45 points?
Cooper Flagg scored 45 points against the Lakers on Apr 5, 2026 in 38:31: 14-of-27 from the field (51.9%), 2-of-4 from three, 15-of-17 on free throws (88.2%). Before this game, Flagg averaged 20.8 points on 16.8 shots in 33.8 minutes across 64 regular-season games. This game had the 3rd-best Game Score of the 65 games the source holds this season. Shot attempts: 27, against a usual 16.8. Flagg shot 51.9% from the field, against a usual 47.5%. From free throws, 15 points against a usual 3.8; from two-pointers, 24 points against a usual 14.0; from threes, 6 points against a usual 3.0. Playing time was 38:31, against a usual 33.8 minutes; per 36 minutes, the Game Score was 36.9, against a usual 17.2. Flagg had 9 assists, against a usual 4.5. The Mavericks won 134-128 at home against the Lakers. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Flagg in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (64 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 38:31 | 33.8 | +4.7 |
| Points | 45 | 20.8 | +24.2 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 27 · 51.9% | 16.8 · 47.5% | +10.2 · +4.4 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 2-of-4 | 3.4 · 29.2% | +0.6 |
| FTA · FT% | 17 · 88.2% | 4.7 · 81.1% | +12.3 · +7.1 |
| Rebounds | 8 | 6.6 | +1.4 |
| Assists | 9 | 4.5 | +4.5 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2.4 | -0.4 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 64 games | 41.0 | 26.6 | +14.4 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 36.9 | 17.2 | +19.7 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (64 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 6 (2-of-4) | 3.0 (1.0-of-3.4) | +3.0 |
| Twos | 24 (12-of-23) | 14.0 (7.0-of-13.4) | +10.0 |
| Free throws | 15 (15-of-17) | 3.8 (3.8-of-4.7) | +11.2 |
| Total | 45 | 20.8 | +24.2 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
39.5 against a usual 16.2 (+23.3)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +19.0 |
| Rebounds | 0.0 |
| Assists | +3.1 |
| Steals and blocks | +0.8 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +0.4 |
| Total | +23.3 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
3rd-best Game Score of the 65 games the source holds this season.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Mavericks won 134-128 at home against the Lakers.
- Previous appearance: Apr 3, 2026, 2 days earlier.
- Earlier regular-season meetings with the Lakers this season: 13 points (Nov 28, 2025), 16 points (Jan 24, 2026).
- The source holds fewer Mavericks games than this season has, so season highs, lows and ranks count only the games it holds.
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.