Player grades: Thunder feel absences in 120-96 loss to Mavericks
Player grades for the Oklahoma City Thunder's 120-96 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Oklahoma City Thunder suffered a 120-96 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in their first low point of the season. Coming off several screens, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the two-time MVP, struggled with his outside jumpers, resulting in loud misses. The team, running a skeleton crew, relied on Gilgeous-Alexander and role players to step up.
However, the offense failed to deliver, with the Thunder trailing by 33 points after the first quarter. Defensively, the Mavericks, led by Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving, dismantled OKC's interior defense. The outside shot became the defining factor, with Dallas hitting everything while the Thunder struggled. Gilgeous-Alexander put up 21 points but shot poorly from beyond the arc.
The Mavericks shot significantly better from three, leading to their victory. The Thunder's loss marked a stark contrast to their early-season expectations.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Cooper Flagg has 26 points, 8 assists as Mavericks beat depleted Thunder 120-96 winnipegfreepress.com
