DALLAS, Texas — The unbeaten start for the team from Oklahoma City, Okla., is over. Playing without four regulars, the Thunder fell 120-96 to the Mavericks in Dallas on Wednesday night, their first loss of the season.
Oklahoma City came in 4-0 and was trying to become the first NBA team ever to open three seasons in a row at 5-0. Instead the defending champions slipped to 4-1, and a run of 15 straight October wins dating to 2023 came to an end.
Injuries told much of the story. Jalen Williams is out for the season and Cason Wallace is out indefinitely after both were hurt in Sunday’s win over the Clippers. Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso also sat with lesser injuries.
The Thunder hung around early and trailed just 65-59 at the break after shooting better than 51% in the first half. The offense went cold after that. Dallas opened the third quarter with an 11-0 burst, and Oklahoma City hit only 30% of its shots after halftime and scored just 37 points in the second half.
The gap from deep was even wider. Dallas made 16 of 45 tries from 3-point range, while the Thunder managed only 5 of 32 without three of their better outside shooters. The Mavericks led for 81 percent of the game and won all four quarters.
Ajay Mitchell, two nights after a career-best 30, led everyone with 29 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 21 but needed 19 shots to get there, making seven. Cooper Flagg paced Dallas with 26 points and eight assists without a turnover. Eight Dallas players scored 10 or more, with P.J. Washington chipping in 18 to go with nine boards. Oklahoma City also got little from its usual turnover pressure, scoring only nine points off 11 Dallas miscues.
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