Flagg’s 26 Points and 16 Dallas Threes End Thunder’s Unbeaten Start — Inside the 120–96 Win

DALLAS, 28 October 2026 — The Dallas Mavericks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 120–96 on Wednesday night, ending Oklahoma City’s unbeaten start to the NBA season. Cooper Flagg led Dallas with 26 points and eight assists, but the decisive gap came from three-point shooting and a severely depleted Thunder rotation.

The NBA’s official final scoreboard and game recap confirm the score, date and player statistics. Dallas improved to 3–2 while Oklahoma City fell to 4–1. The game was completed; these are final results, not live or projected numbers.

The three-point gap explains the margin

Dallas made 16 of 45 three-point attempts, with 11 of those makes arriving in the first half. Oklahoma City finished 5 of 32 from deep, a 15.6% conversion rate. That is an 11-made-three difference, worth 33 points before considering the rest of the offense — larger than the game’s 24-point final margin.

The calculation does not prove that perimeter shooting alone caused the victory. Shot selection, defense, turnovers and second-chance opportunities also matter. But it shows why the shooting disparity deserves more attention than a simple star-versus-star narrative. Dallas led by as many as 27 in the fourth quarter and outscored the Thunder 26–15 in the final period.

Flagg’s production, and Irving’s return home

Flagg contributed 26 points and eight assists, while P.J. Washington scored 18. Kyrie Irving added 15 points, including 13 in the first half, in his first home regular-season appearance since suffering a torn ACL in March 2025. The combination gave Dallas multiple offensive options and reduced the burden on any one scorer.

For the Thunder, Ajay Mitchell scored 29 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 21. Oklahoma City was without Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Chet Holmgren, while Alex Caruso also missed the game. Those absences are essential context: one defeat against a short-handed opponent does not establish that Dallas has overtaken a fully available Thunder team.

What the result says — and what it doesn’t

For Dallas, the win is an encouraging sign that Flagg can create as well as finish, and that a balanced lineup can capitalize when opponents leave perimeter opportunities. For Oklahoma City, the immediate issue is less about one loss than about how its injured rotation affects spacing, shot quality and defensive coverage.

The next scheduled test comes against the Houston Rockets: Dallas hosts Houston on Friday, 30 October, and Oklahoma City visits Houston on Saturday, 31 October, according to the NBA game recap. These are scheduled matchups, not completed results.

Watch and verify: The official NBA game center provides the final score, box score, recap and access to any league-authorized highlights. No third-party footage has been downloaded, rehosted or embedded here; a same-event YouTube upload and its embed permission were not independently confirmed.

Image note: Featured photograph is an illustrative basketball court, not the Dallas–Oklahoma City game. Photo: Oleksii S / Unsplash. Reporting verified on 29 October 2026.

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