The OKC Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks matchup was one of five NBA preseason games scheduled on Monday. The classic Oklahoma vs Texas was renewed in this game taking place at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Thunder were coming off a 135-114 blowout victory over the Charlotte Hornets in their preseason debut on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Mavericks were looking to start their preseason on a positive note with a win over the defending NBA champions.
When the dust settled in Fort Worth, it was the Mavericks standing tall with a 106-89 win. Digging deep into his current roster, head coach Jason Kidd drew a balanced scoring performance from the likes of PJ Washington (14 points, 4-of-9 shooting from the field), Jaden Hardy (12 points, three rebounds, one assist), and Max Christie (12 points, two rebounds, three assists).
In his first-ever preseason game with the Mavs, top draft pick Cooper Flagg finished with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, and one block. Meanwhile, the Thunder did not field their starters from last season's championship squad, electing instead to give more playing time to their reserves.
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Brooks Barnhizer poured in 16 points on 40% FG shooting, while Jaylin Williams chipped in 14 points on 4-for-11 shooting from beyond the arc. Zack Austin added 13 points and three rebounds in this losing effort by the Thunder, who are now at 1-1 in the preseason standings.
OKC Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks Player Stats and Box Score
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OKC Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks Game Summary
The Mavericks' offense raced off to a hot start in this preseason game, pouring in 29 points in the first quarter. At the same time, the defensive impact of Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II was felt as Dallas held OKC to just 20 points in the opening frame.
In the second quarter, Flagg started looking for his shots and poured in some buckets to go along with his rebounds and assists. With the Mavs clicking on all cylinders, the Thunder found themselves staring at a 66-40 deficit at halftime.
OKC showed some more fight in the second half as Kidd rested his big guns in favor of his bench unit. Despite a 26-16 third quarter by the Thunder, the Mavericks held steady on the defensive end in the final 12 minutes of the game to claim the 17-point victory.
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