The Dallas Mavericks (3-2) won their third game of the young season on Wednesday, in breathtaking fashion against the Oklahoma City Thunder (4-1), 120-96. Cooper Flagg led a balanced Dallas effort with 26 points and eight rebounds. Ajay Mitchell made a record 29 in the loss to the Thunder
The first quarter was a back and forth between the teams, with neither gaining a clear advantage. Flagg came out strong, scoring 12 points in the period, with Kyrie Irving hitting a pair of 3-pointers. Dallas shot the ball well early on, allowing the Mavericks to keep pace as the Thunder continued to score from inside the arc. A late flagg floater followed by another Irving three gave Dallas a 33-30 lead heading into the second quarter.
Dallas’ hot shooting continued, increasing the lead to double digits just four minutes into the game. The Thunder made several attempts to eat away at Dallas’ lead, but were pushed back by timely shots from Max Christie, Zaccharie Risacher and, yes, even Caleb Martin. A personal 5-0 run from Ajay Mitchell cut the Mavericks’ lead in half with just over three minutes remaining. After a Dusty May timeout, the teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half and Dallas entered the half with a 65-59 lead.
Cold shooting greeted fans after halftime, with neither time connecting on an actual basket for the first few possessions of the half. Steadily, Dallas built a 15-point lead at the 7:30 mark by outplaying the Thunder on the offensive glass. Over the next 90 seconds, the Thunder responded with a 7-0 run powered by Mitchell and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, forcing a Mavericks timeout. Dallas settled in and Flagg helped the Mavs close the quarter on a 16-10 run. Dallas reached the final quarter with a 94-81 lead.
With Flagg on the bench, Marcus Sasser and Risacher took it upon themselves to drive the Thunder into the ground. Martin’s second 3-ball gave Dallas a 17-point lead early in the fourth, forcing an Oklahoma City timeout. Dallas increased the lead 113-93 before the Thunder threw in the towel. The rest of the game was about making it out alive and unscathed.
They are real, and they are spectacular
Maybe this subtitle will bite me in the ass later. Right now, I don’t care. The Dallas Mavericks are 3-2 and just beat the 2025 NBA Champions and 2026 Western Conference runners-up. Yeah, the Thunder are hurt. The Mavericks too.
It’s awesome and I don’t know how else to say it. There may be darker days ahead, but the last time the Mavericks were ABOVE 0.5o0 was March 5, 2024. That’s a long time.
So for now, your mission is simple: enjoy this victory. Enjoy the moment. Revel in the fandom with those you love. So tell your friends about it. People left the Mavericks church a while ago. They had good reasons to do so. But joy must be shared, spread and sought. We have it. There will be more. Tell your friends about it. Let’s go Mavs.
Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving were good. A total of 41 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists. Great if you’re feeling generous. But were they great?
Not really. And that’s just winning. Dallas still won by 24.
Dallas shot under 50% and shot 36% from three. They didn’t win this game on freak zones. They won because they pushed harder, defended better and never stopped as a team. If you didn’t watch this game, you missed a play from every person on the roster who saw minutes resulting from their grit. Risacher’s play in every match that makes me laugh (this time, an SGA block in transition that was so rude, I loved it). The Gaul of Walter Clayton Jr. to attack in transition. I could go on.
These guys are feeling it right now.
Statistics Living in hustle
Dallas almost tied the points in the paint, losing 44-42 after being killed in the first half (26-14). They won the counterattack points 17-0. The Mavericks won second chance points 18-7.
This is how you win a big game on national television. They controlled and dominated the effort and came away with a big win to start the season.
Gn sports
