Dallas defeats the Los Angeles Lakers at the NBA 2K26 Summer League.
• Mavericks 87, Lakers 85: Box Score | Game Detail
LAS VEGAS — The undrafted rookie duo of Ryan Nembhard and Miles Kelly shined brightest in a game where all eyes were on No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, with their combined 38 points leading the Dallas Mavericks to an 87-85 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in an NBA 2K26 Summer League battle at Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas on Thursday.
The most highly anticipated game of the first day of play in Las Vegas also saw Bronny James suiting up for the Lakers, but neither he nor Flagg made a particularly noteworthy impact during a low-scoring first quarter where only 36 combined points were scored.
Los Angeles went into intermission with a 47-43 lead, but Dallas would dominate on both ends of the floor during a third quarter where it took a six-point advantage. Although Flagg put up an air ball on a pullup shot with 19 seconds remaining – his 16th miss of the night – the Mavs were able to escape with the narrow win thanks to James’ misfire on a 29-footer with three seconds remaining and subsequent unsuccessful in-bounds pass with 0.2 seconds left.
Cole Swider led the Lakers with a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double that also included an assist and a steal, as well as a 66.7% success rate from long distance. Dalton Knecht totaled 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal. DJ Steward furnished 14 points, seven boards, five assists and one steal. James and Darius Bazley turned in matching eight-point tallies, with the latter also hauling in 11 rebounds.
Nembhard paced the Mavericks with 21 points, supplementing them with five assists, two rebounds and one steal. Kelly recorded 17 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal. Flagg went just 5-for-21 from the floor on his way to 10 points, although he also supplied six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block.
