Thunder lose 120-96 to Mavericks in Dallas

The Oklahoma City Thunder went 15-for-32 from beyond the arc on Wednesday night, a season-low shooting percentage that contributed to a 120-96 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

The defeat snapped the Thunder's four-game winning streak and ended their bid to become the first team in NBA history to start three consecutive seasons 5-0. The Mavericks, who improved to 3-2, led by 12 points in the first half and built a 27-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Dallas found early success from outside, hitting a season-high 16 three-pointers on 45 attempts. The Mavericks made 11 of those shots in the first half. Kyrie Irving scored 13 of his 15 points before halftime, making his first four shots including three threes. This was his first home regular-season game since suffering a torn ACL in March 2025.

Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks with 26 points and eight assists. P.J. Washington added 18 points. Center Daniel Gafford also made the first three-pointer of his eight-year career.

The Thunder struggled to find offensive rhythm without two key guards. Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace missed the game due to injuries sustained Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers. Williams underwent surgery Wednesday in New York for a fractured fibula and dislocated left ankle. Wallace is recovering from surgery on a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

Chet Holmgren sat out his second straight game with patellar tendinitis, and Alex Caruso remained sidelined. Coach Mark Daigneault leaned on younger players to fill the gaps. Jaylin Williams defended Flagg, while rookie Josh Dix guarded Irving.

Ajay Mitchell provided a scoring boost for Oklahoma City, finishing with 29 points. This followed his career-high 30-point performance against Phoenix on Monday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 21 points.

Daigneault noted that the team gave itself chances to stay in the game but could not maintain consistency. "It wasn't our night," Daigneault said. "We gave ourselves some chances, and then the game got away from us a little bit."

The coach emphasized that the younger players are gaining valuable experience in larger roles. "You gotta learn the speed of the game, you gotta learn the league," Daigneault said. "There's a lot coming at you at once, but that's where experience helps."

Injured players remained connected to the team off the court. Daigneault said Williams and Wallace helped maintain the group's mentality. "Those guys have been amazing, Cason and Dub, just in terms of staying plugged into the team," Daigneault said.