Bronny James Locking Cooper Flagg Goes Viral; 3-Pointer Over Mavs Rookie Shows Lakers Guard Potential

The first shot set things in motion for James. With confidence in his stride, the young guard looked extremely reliable in the opening minutes. 

The 20-year-old continued to carry the offensive load for the Purple and Gold. He followed up his first basket with a closely contested three-pointer over the Mavs rookie.

With five points to his name, James was humming on the offensive front, but this wasn't his only contribution for the game. The Lakers guard has a clear vision of who he intends to be as a player. 

With defense becoming his calling card, James put his skills on display by locking up the No. 1 overall pick whenever they were matched up.

On one play, James almost stripped the ball from Flagg's hand. Although it was called a foul, the guard displayed great discipline and strength by holding his ground against a significantly larger opponent.

This isn't to say that James dominated the matchup against the Mavs' rookie. Although the Lakers guard had his moment in the sun, Flagg displayed flashes of brilliance, showcasing why he was viewed as a potential superstar prospect.

Flagg's defensive smarts and athleticism immediately helped him contribute to the game. His active hands and defensive effort led to a highlight reel play, opening his scoring tally for the night.

Flagg gave a solid idea of what he was capable of producing on the floor. From scoring to playmaking, the Mavs rookie is truly the complete offensive package. 

Additionally, he has also demonstrated a knack for showmanship. An optimistic attempt at putting a Lakers defender on a highlight reel, which would have undoubtedly brought the crowd to its feet, served as a reminder that he is still developing. 

The showdown between the Mavericks and the Lakers came down to the final seconds of the game, as the Purple and Gold had an opportunity to win it all. James took over the play, but his game-winning three-pointer attempt unfortunately came up short, resulting in the win for Dallas.

Although the back-and-forth between James and Flagg was exciting, it was abundantly clear that they weren't the best players on their teams on Wednesday night.

For the Lakers, Cole Swider stepped up again to lead the offensive charge. He notched 22 points and 10 rebounds on 6-10 shooting from the field. Meanwhile, the Mavericks saw a terrific performance by their new two-way signing, Ryan Nembhard, who recorded 21 points, two rebounds, and five assists to lead the winning effort.

Following the game, both Bronny James and Cooper Flagg shared honest assessments of their performances. 

James gave praise to Flagg's performance and even discussed what it was like to guard the No. 1 overall pick. He said:

"He's a quick, powerful big, so we've got to do everything we can to stop him and slow him down. But he's a great player and he's going to get his at some time. Just got to do a great job at stopping him down."

Bronny has expressed his commitment was towards becoming a defensive-minded player for the Lakers in the future. Amid ongoing trade rumors involving his father, LeBron James, the 20-year-old also finds himself stuck in limbo.

Flagg also offered a rather candid review of his performance in the game. While speaking with the media, he said:

"That might be one of the worst games of my life. But we got the win so that's what really matters to me.”

He continued by expressing the faith the Mavs' coaching staff had placed in him and said, "Coaches, they have a lot of confidence in me. Telling me they wanted me to experiment, try some new things. Trying to be aggressive.”

Neither player seems to be content with the quality of their performance, but with ample opportunities awaiting them in the Summer League, it will be exciting to see what they have to offer.

In the next game, the Lakers are set to take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Mavericks will hope to build upon their momentum with another win as they prepare to take on the San Antonio Spurs.