The Utah Jazz found answers late, the Dallas Mavericks found a star. In a crisp, high-scoring battle in Salt Lake City, Utah outlasted Dallas 140-133 in overtime on December 15, 2025. Keyonte George fired in 37, Lauri Markkanen stacked 33, and the Jazz executed just enough in the extra five minutes. On the other side, 18-year-old rookie Cooper Flagg stole the show with a career-high 42 points and 7 rebounds — a record-setting night that will live in Mavericks history.

Overtime composure wins it for Utah Jazz

Games like this come down to small moments. A smart pass. A clean box-out. One more confident shot. The Jazz checked those boxes when it mattered most. With the pace still humming in overtime, George and Markkanen kept Utah steady. Their two-man rhythm — drive, kick, space, repeat — made Dallas choose between help and hope. Utah made them pay.

It was not a night for perfect defense. It was a night for timely defense. The Jazz came up with the late stops they needed, and they were decisive with the ball. That poise, plus home-court energy, tilted a tight game their way.

“George played like a closer. Every big touch felt safe in his hands.”

Keyonte George’s 37: the look of a lead guard

George didn’t just score; he controlled tempo. His 37 points came with a calm that is rare for a young guard in a pressure game. He hunted the right looks, picked his spots, and never seemed rushed. When Dallas shaded extra help toward Markkanen, George attacked the space. When they stayed home on shooters, he created off the bounce.

For Utah, this is the blueprint. Let Markkanen’s gravity stretch the floor. Let George read it and go. It’s simple basketball, built on trust. Nights like this suggest the Jazz have their perimeter leader for the long haul.

Lauri Markkanen, the constant pressure point

Markkanen’s 33 were heavy minutes of stress on Dallas. He’s the piece that bends a defense. Even when he’s not touching the ball, he shapes the coverage, opening clean lanes for George and forcing rotations that Utah’s wings can attack. That’s why his numbers travel, and why Utah’s offense holds up under playoff-style pressure.

“Flagg just kicked the door down on NBA history at 18. That’s not normal.”

Cooper Flagg’s 42: a record night for the 18-year-old rookie

This was not empty scoring. Flagg’s 42 were loud, efficient, and fearless. He topped the NBA record for most points by an 18-year-old, pushing past the previous high of 37 set by LeBron James. He also tied Mavericks legend Mark Aguirre for the most points by a Dallas rookie. Add 7 rebounds and at least five assists to fit the 40-5-5 club, and you have a box score that reads like a debut album gone platinum.

In the last 15 years, only a handful of rookies have reached 40-5-5. Flagg is now the fifth. That is rare air, and it’s not just the number. It’s how he got there — calm under pressure, making the right play against a defense that had no great answers for him. For Dallas, it signals a franchise pillar taking shape right in front of them.

The Mavericks didn’t win, but they sure learned something. In a tough building, against a locked-in opponent, Flagg carried a veteran scoring load and looked comfortable doing it.

Dallas’s supporting cast kept it live

P.J. Washington brought force and focus with 25 points and 13 rebounds. He battled on the glass and gave Dallas second chances all night. Ryan Nembhard chipped in 14 points and 11 assists, keeping the offense organized and getting Flagg into rhythm spots.

That balance is a good sign. When Dallas gets scoring from Washington and table-setting from Nembhard, it takes pressure off the rookie and turns long trips into winnable nights. The Mavs had enough to push it to overtime. Utah just had one more answer.

“This felt like the start of a Jazz–Mavs storyline: George vs. Flagg for years.”

Why this game matters beyond one win

For Utah, this is what growth looks like. You protect home court, you close a tight game, and your young guard takes the last steps with confidence. George’s 37 points tell the story of talent finding consistency. Markkanen’s 33 underline his steady star power. The Jazz didn’t flinch when the game got loud. That’s a marker for a team with playoff plans.

For Dallas, this night belongs to Flagg. The numbers are elite, but the poise is the part that changes a team’s ceiling. He became a record-setter at 18, on the road, in altitude, in overtime. You don’t hand a rookie the keys because of one outburst. But when the outburst looks this controlled, you start building the garage around him.

Inside the margins: what swung it

• Shot-making late: George and Markkanen kept the scoreboard moving in OT.
• One more stop: Utah found key defensive stands when Dallas needed a bucket.
• Composure: The Jazz were clean with the ball in crunch time, and it showed.

Dallas had the star turn. Utah had the steady hands. On most nights, the steady hands win by a possession or two. That’s exactly how this played out.

The bottom line

Utah 140, Dallas 133 (OT) is a score that hums. It says both teams had it going. It says the young cores are real. And it says Cooper Flagg is not just a story — he’s a statement. Meanwhile, Keyonte George walked into a big game and walked out with it. That’s how lead guards are made.

Circle this one. The Jazz bank a strong win at home. The Mavericks walk away with the kind of loss coaches can live with because it points to something bigger. When these teams meet again, expect the same pace, the same nerve, and two young stars ready to trade answers all over again.