LAS VEGAS — The Cooper Flagg era unofficially began Thursday night when the Dallas Mavericks opened the Las Vegas Summer League with an 87-85 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Here are five observations from Flagg’s debut in Thursday’s win over the Lakers:

Center of attention: Flagg vs. James

The Thomas & Mack Center drew a nearly full arena that was full of people waiting to see Flagg match up with Lakers second-year guard Bronny James.

It was apparent from the moment the jump ball went in favor of the Mavericks that the anticipation was already pent up among both teams. Flagg received the ball and the Lakers sent two defenders to double team him immediately, almost as if they knew the Mavericks’ first play of the game.

Flagg drew attention early, but James had a quick start that resulted in the first five points for the Lakers. James drilled a smooth step-back from the midrange over Flagg to open scoring for both teams. He followed that up with a triple as Flagg went under the screen. James finished with eight points, one rebound and one assist.

The two headliners guarded each other several times throughout the game. Flagg posted James up on three consecutive possessions in the second quarter, sparking oohs and aahs from the crowd. James managed to cleanly poke the ball away from Flagg on the second post-up attempt and the fans inside the arena were antagonized by the moment. Flagg was successful on the third, as he drilled a midrange shot over LeBron James’ eldest son.

James had a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter, but missed a hesitation 3-pointer.

Flagg finished with 10 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals in 27 minutes of action. James totaled eight points, two rebounds and two assists on 2-of-8 shooting from the field.

Flagg’s second wind

Flagg went to the bench after the first timeout of the game to catch a quick breather after missing his first two shots. His brightest moment of the game occurred a minute later as he made several high-impact plays upon checking back into the game.

The Mavericks rookie came up with a steal and took the ball the length of the court while outrunning two Lakers defenders before throwing down a one-handed dunk. He followed that up with a midrange shot he knocked down as he fell to the floor.

Flagg managed to show why he was the consensus top pick by showing his versatile skillset, but he didn’t shoot the ball well, finishing just 5 of 21 from the field. It’s natural that Flagg could be rusty, considering it was his first official game since Duke was eliminated from the Final Four in March.

Point Flagg

After weeks of anticipation of what Flagg would look like in a point guard role, the basketball world received a glimpse of Mavericks coach Jason Kidd’s vision.

Flagg brought the ball up the court several times and managed to be successful with his handle, even when Lakers defenders tried to be physical. He was often picked up full court, but used his body to shield himself from defenders looking to steal the ball.

Late in the fourth quarter, Flagg drove into the paint, spun as if he was going to rise for a midrange shot and swung the ball to Maxwell Lewis in the corner for a clean 3-pointer. It was only his third assist, but an example of his high IQ on display.

Flagg is just 18 years old, but he showed poise initiating the offense and made smart passes, especially in transition. He didn’t have any turnovers, an impressive feat considering how much he had the ball in his hands. In fact, the Mavericks only turned the ball over four times — an exceptional number after practicing only twice this week leading up to the opener.

It’s unclear how much point guard we’ll see Flagg run during the regular season, but he’ll be an option to use if Kidd wishes to.

Mavericks’ two-ways

Flagg wasn’t the only player who made an impression in Thursday’s game. Mavericks two-way guard Ryan Nembhard, who’s known as a playmaker, led the team in scoring with 21 points and five assists. Two-way guard Miles Kelly added 17 points, four rebounds and two assists.

The two started alongside Flagg, Jamarion Sharp and Maxwell Lewis.

Nembhard gave the Mavericks a two-point lead with 59.1 seconds left after drilling a triple, assisted by Flagg. He knocked down several timely jumpers throughout the game and didn’t allow his 6-foot frame to hinder him from getting to his spots.

Blanket of support

There were several notable faces sitting courtside to take in the Mavericks’ summer league opener. Mavs Governor Patrick Dumont sat across from the Dallas bench. He was joined by a bevy of key members from the varsity group, including Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington, Max Christie, Naji Marshall, Jaden Hardy and Olivier-Maxence Prosper.

That group of Mavericks rose to their feet early in the second quarter when Flagg drilled a fadeaway shot from the baseline over the outstretched hands of James. Flagg showed his fiery spirit and yelled toward his new teammates, celebrating the successful moment of competition against James.

Members of the front office and coaching staff were also present, including assistant general managers Michael Finley and Matt Ricardi, along with head coach Jason Kidd and new lead assistant coach Frank Vogel, plus other support staff. Minority shareholder Mark Cuban was also in attendance. General manager Nico Harrison was noticeably absent, but there was more than enough support from the franchise for the team’s first game in Las Vegas.

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