Flagg Drops 49, Knueppel Lifts Hornets Over Mavs

Merlin sees a rookie duel that stole the night. Cooper Flagg poured in 49 points and Kon Knueppel added 34 as the Hornets edged the Mavericks 123-121, and Knueppel called Flagg "the best player on the floor tonight." Their 83 combined points are the most by two rookies in a game since 1971, and both now stand as the clear front-runners in the Rookie of the Year race. Merlin notes Flagg is averaging 19.5 points on 48.2 percent shooting while Knueppel is nearly as efficient and makes 3.4 triples a night. Both shine even though Charlotte and Dallas sit below .500, so individual acclaim may hinge on which team builds around its star. Merlin senses their friendly rivalry will lift both games and linger in voters’ memories.