Wendell Carter Jr. threw down a dunk with 1.4 seconds left as the Orlando Magic beat the visiting Dallas Mavericks 115-114 and spoiled Cooper Flagg’s return to the lineup on Thursday.
Dallas moved ahead 114-110 with 37.3 seconds remaining on Flagg’s three-point play before Jalen Suggs hit a 3-pointer on Orlando’s next possession. Flagg missed a 14-foot jumper ahead of Carter’s game-winner, and Dallas was unable to get a shot off on its final play.
Tristan da Silva scored 19 points and Suggs added 17 for Orlando, which won for the fourth time in its past six games. Paolo Banchero had 16 points and 12 rebounds, Carter scored 15 points, and Desmond Bane added 14.
Flagg returned after missing the previous eight games due to a left midfoot sprain and eclipsed 1,000 career points with his first basket of the night.
At 19 years and 74 days old, the rookie star became the second-youngest player in NBA history to reach the 1,000-point mark behind only LeBron James (19 years, 41 days).
Klay Thompson led Dallas with 24 points off the bench, sinking a season-high seven 3-pointers. Khris Middleton scored 19 points, Flagg and P.J. Washington had 18 apiece, and Daniel Gafford added 12 points and 13 rebounds.
The Mavericks lost their fifth straight game and have dropped 15 of their past 17.
Dallas opened the game by making six 3-pointers in the first quarter to lead 33-26 at the end of the period.
The Mavericks extended the advantage to 42-28 on Gafford’s dunk with 9:50 left in the second quarter before Orlando chipped away to pull within 62-60 at the half.
Suggs drilled a 3-pointer with 6:07 left in the third quarter to give the Magic their first lead of the game at 73-72. Orlando pushed the gap to 11 before Dallas pulled within 91-88 when Thompson made three foul shots at the end of the period.
The Magic were held scoreless for more than three minutes in the fourth quarter before going up 105-102 on Bane’s layup with 3:15 remaining.
–Field Level Media
