Luka Doncic had 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds as the new-look Dallas Mavericks beat the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder 146-111 on Saturday.
Dallas newcomers Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington, acquired in separate trade-deadline deals on Thursday, combined for 33 points as the Mavericks tied their season high with four consecutive wins.
The Thunder have lost back-to-back games. Saturday marked their largest margin of defeat of the season.
While the Thunder hadn’t played since Tuesday, it was the Mavericks that seemed energized from the jump.
Dallas set a franchise record for first-quarter scoring with 47 points as Doncic had 18 points, five rebounds and five assists in the opening quarter and the Mavericks built a lead as big as 22 points.
The Mavericks got off to a blistering start from the field, making 18 of 23 (78.3 percent) shots in the first quarter, including 5 of 7 from beyond the 3-point line.
Dallas jumped out to a 12-2 lead less than three minutes into the game thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers by Doncic and Derrick Jones Jr., who canned his triple off a Doncic feed.
In the final minute of the first, Dallas led 47-25.
The Mavericks were ahead by 19 early in the second when Oklahoma City reeled off a 15-0 run to cut the deficit to four, 56-52.
But the Mavericks quickly stretched their lead to 13 again and led 71-62 at halftime.
Dallas started the second half with a 14-4 run to stretch its lead to 19, and the Thunder never again seriously threatened.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 25 points, Cason Wallace added 15 off the bench and Chet Holmgren had 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Dallas shot 58.2 percent from the floor, with Kyrie Irving adding 25 points on 11-of-19 shooting.
The Mavericks didn’t let up in the fourth, outscoring Oklahoma City 36-22 and leading by as many as 41 in the frame.
Isaiah Joe returned for the Thunder after missing four games with a sternum contusion, hitting a pair of 3-pointers in 16 minutes.
The Mavericks’ 146 points were the most surrendered by Oklahoma City since Dec. 2, 2021, a 152-79 road loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
–Field Level Media
