Hot Takes on Mavs' Cooper Flagg vs. Lakers' Bronny James, Dalton Knecht

The much-hyped NBA summer league showdown between Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks and Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers finally went down on Thursday in Las Vegas.

In the end, the Mavs defeated the Lakers 87-85 in a matchup that went down to the buzzer.

Flagg finished with 10 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. He had a rough offensive night (5-of-21, 0-of-5 from three), but the No. 1 overall draft pick showcased how he can positively impact a game when his shot's not falling.

The greatest example of this occurred with 1:11 left in regulation and the Lakers up 85-84. Flagg blocked Lakers guard DJ Steward's layup attempt, and that got the Mavs going in transition. The play ended with Ryan Nembhard, who led the Mavs with 21 points, hitting a game-winning three-pointer.

James had the chance to be the hero with the ball in his hands in the final seconds. However, his three was off the mark.

James got off to a hot start in the first quarter with five quick points thanks to a stepback and then a three, both of which were over Flagg.

James soon took a seat, though, as he played limited minutes to start while other summer league Lakers got their opportunities. He finished with eight points on 2-of-8 shooting, two assists and two rebounds.

Flagg ended up playing 32 minutes. The ex-Duke star excelled early offensively, and his first bucket was courtesy of a steal and breakaway slam, showcasing his prowess on both ends.

The mid-range game was on-point as well.

The first quarter flurry of points continued shortly thereafter as Flagg got ahead of the defense and finished a tough bucket through contact.

James and Flagg found themselves matched up against each other in this one, with the former playing tough defense on the latter. James did end up getting called for a foul, though.

Elsewhere in the box score, Miles Kelly scored 17 points for the Mavs. Cole Swider dominated for the Lakers, adding 22 points and 10 rebounds. Dalton Knecht scored 15 points but left late in the fourth quarter after suffering a calf cramp, per Lakers summer league head coach Lindsey Harding to reporters postgame.

This game's headliners were ultimately Flagg and James, and fans offered positive takeaways from their efforts.

Both teams will next play on Saturday. The Mavericks will face the San Antonio Spurs at 4 p.m. ET, while the Lakers will take on the New Orleans Pelicans at 8:30 p.m.