Cooper Flagg gave the Target Center crowd a jolt Thursday night, even if the rest of the evening belonged to LaMelo Ball and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In transition, Flagg pushed the ball up the floor, turned on the jets and went straight at the rim. Ball initially loaded up for a block, then backed off as the 19-year-old forward rose and hammered it down. It was the kind of downhill finish that reminds everyone why Flagg draws so much attention.
That moment, though, was one of the few bright spots for Dallas. Neither Flagg nor the Mavericks had much going in the first half against Minnesota, and the Wolves only tightened their grip from there. By the second half, Minnesota had built a 30-plus-point lead and was rolling toward its fifth straight win.
COOPER FLAGG SLAMS IT DOWN WITH AUTHORITY 😤 pic.twitter.com/yHXIS7ygXN
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 13, 2026
Ball was a major reason why. The big offseason acquisition got the better of his fellow Rookie of the Year winner more than once and kept pouring it on against a Dallas defense that had no answers. Even with No. 32 on the wrong end of that poster, Ball still controlled the action.
Minnesota did it without Anthony Edwards, too.
For Dallas, the loss doesn’t erase the bigger picture. The Mavericks have made encouraging progress early in the season, and a returning Kyrie Irving should help lift their win total.
But the real measuring stick is still No. 32.
Through his first 10 games, Flagg has averaged 25.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.9 assists while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 29.2 percent from 3-point range.
The Mavs will try to take something from the beating and move on as they continue their three-game road trip. Cleveland and Boston are waiting next, and neither one figures to make life easier.
In Other News...
Timberwolves Defense Just Earned The Kind Of Respect Fans Notice
Before the game, the Timberwolves got a familiar kind of respect from the other sideline: a coach talking up Minnesotas defense before having to deal with it. Dusty May pointed to the Wolves one-on-one guarding and the way Rudy Gobert anchors everything behind it, which is the sort of praise that usually comes only after a team has spent enough time making life miserable for opponents. It also fits the broader reputation Minnesota has built around a defense that can hold up even when the matchups get tough.
Chris Finch, meanwhile, was already focused on the next challenge, discussing how Minnesota would try to contain Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. That is the balancing act for the Wolves now, because the defense has become a calling card, but it still has to travel from reputation to execution every night. And when an opposing coach is openly acknowledging how hard it is to score against them, it says plenty about how far that side of the floor has come. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Are Already Showing Why This New-Look Group Feels Different
A new-look Timberwolves group wasted little time making a statement at Target Center, rolling past Dallas by 39 points in a game that looked lopsided from the opening stretches. LaMelo Ball gave Minnesota the kind of steady offensive push that can make a reshaped roster feel instantly more coherent, finishing with 22 points, nine assists and two steals while keeping the attack moving and the pressure on.
What stood out just as much was the way Minnesota handled the other end. Jaden McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga and Rudy Gobert helped set the tone defensively, and the Wolves made life difficult for Cooper Flagg throughout the night, never letting Dallas find much rhythm around its young centerpiece. For a team still defining its identity, this was the sort of performance that suggested the pieces may fit faster than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Jaden McDaniels Is Becoming Impossible For Wolves Fans To Overlook
The Timberwolves have found a steadying force during their recent five-game winning streak without Anthony Edwards, and Jaden McDaniels has been right in the middle of it. He has given Minnesota the kind of nightly two-way presence that can shape a game without always demanding the spotlight, contributing as a scorer, rebounder and defender while showing more comfort on offense.
What stands out most is how much cleaner the Wolves have looked when McDaniels is on the floor. His versatility has helped them stay organized on both ends, and his growing influence is making it harder to view him as just a complementary piece. For a team trying to keep its footing without its top scorer, that kind of impact is becoming impossible to ignore. [Read more 🡒]