Kon Knueppel made two free throws with 4.1 seconds left for a career-high 34 points and the Charlotte Hornets beat the Dallas Mavericks 123-121, spoiling Duke roommate Cooper Flagg’s 49-point game.
Flagg, who turned 19 in December, broke the NBA record for points scored in a game by a teenager. Cliff Robinson set the previous record of 45 at age 19 for New Jersey in a game against Detroit on March 9, 1980.
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Flagg set a career high with 20 field goals on 29 shots and also grabbed 10 rebounds.
Knueppel grabbed an errant pass from Flagg near midcourt with seven seconds left and the score was tied. He got to the basket and was fouled by Flagg as the ball lodged between the rim and the backboard. Flagg’s shot at the buzzer to send it to overtime hit the back of the basket.
Knueppel made eight 3-pointers to set a rookie record for the Hornets, who have won five straight games for their longest winning streak since a five-game streak in February 2023.
Brandon Miller scored 23 points, his ninth straight game with at least 20 points, for Charlotte. LaMelo added 22, hitting six 3-pointers.
Klay Thompson scored 16 points off the bench for Dallas, shooting 4 of 11 from 3. The Mavericks have lost three straight games, all at home, following a season-best four-game winning streak.
The Hornets swept one road after another while the Mavericks were swept one after another at home.
The game was the first NBA meeting between Flagg and Knueppel, Duke’s 2024-25 freshmen.
Mark Aguirre, Dallas’ only previous first-ever recruit following the franchise’s initial season in 1980-81, became the team’s fifth player to have his jersey retired during a halftime ceremony.
