DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks delivered their most convincing performance of the young season Wednesday night, crushing the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-96 behind another impressive outing from Cooper Flagg and a welcome homecoming for Kyrie Irving.

Flagg finished with 26 points, eight assists and five rebounds without committing a turnover, leading Dallas to its first home victory under new head coach Dusty May.

The Mavericks improved to 3-2, moving above .500 for the first time since Flagg joined the franchise last season.

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Oklahoma City, which entered the matchup undefeated, fell to 4-1.

Flagg Continues to Establish Himself

Flagg once again demonstrated why he has become the centerpiece of Dallas’ future.

The second-year star controlled the offense, creating scoring opportunities for teammates while delivering another efficient all-around performance.

His eight assists were especially significant in a game where Dallas repeatedly generated quality perimeter looks.

P.J. Washington contributed 18 points and nine rebounds, while Irving scored 15 points in his first regular-season appearance at American Airlines Center since suffering a torn ACL in March 2025.

Irving provided an immediate spark, connecting on his first four shots, including three from beyond the arc.

He scored 13 of his 15 points before halftime, helping Dallas build a 65-59 advantage at the break.

Mavericks Overwhelm Thunder From Deep

The biggest difference came from beyond the three-point line.

Dallas connected on a season-high 16 three-pointers in 45 attempts, including 11 in the opening half.

Oklahoma City, meanwhile, struggled badly from long distance, making just five of 32 attempts for 15.6 percent.

The Mavericks seized control with an 11-0 run early in the third quarter and eventually pushed their advantage to 27 points in the fourth.

Dallas also held the Thunder to just 37 points after halftime, turning a competitive first half into a comfortable victory.

Even center Daniel Gafford joined the perimeter attack, connecting on the first three-pointer of his eight-year NBA career.

Thunder Injuries Put Victory in Perspective

Oklahoma City was without several significant contributors, including Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso.

Ajay Mitchell led the Thunder with 29 points, while reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 21 on 7-of-19 shooting.

Those absences certainly weakened Oklahoma City’s rotation, but Dallas still deserves credit for capitalizing.

The Mavericks moved the basketball effectively, limited turnovers and delivered their best defensive half of the young season.

For May, the performance offered an encouraging glimpse of how dangerous Dallas can become when Flagg’s playmaking, Irving’s scoring and the team’s perimeter shooting come together.

What’s Next: Houston Rockets

The Mavericks return to American Airlines Center on Friday, October 30, to face the Houston Rockets in another Southwest Division matchup.

Dallas will look to build on Wednesday’s defensive performance while continuing to develop chemistry between Flagg, Irving and Washington.

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The victory over Oklahoma City doesn’t establish the Mavericks as Western Conference contenders just yet.

But for one night, Dallas looked like a team beginning to figure things out — and Flagg was at the center of everything.