In a dominant performance, Luka Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks to a 146-111 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, extending their winning streak to four games, which is also their longest winning streak of the season. Doncic was in top form, scoring 32 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and dishing out nine assists before sitting out the fourth quarter. Kyrie Irving also had an impressive outing, scoring 25 points and recording eight assists, including his 4,000th career assist in the second quarter.
The game also marked the debut of two new Mavericks players, Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington, who were acquired in trades before the Thursday deadline. Gafford, who came from the Washington Wizards, made an immediate impact off the bench, scoring 19 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and recording four offensive rebounds. Washington, who came from the Charlotte Hornets, scored 14 points, and both newcomers had alley-oop dunks on assists from Doncic within minutes of entering the game in the first quarter.
The Mavericks got off to a blazing start, scoring a franchise-best 47 points in the first quarter, with Doncic leading the way with 18 points. The Thunder struggled to keep up, allowing the most points in a quarter in the 2023-24 season. Although they managed to cut the deficit to four midway through the second quarter, the Mavericks maintained control in the second half and extended their lead to 21 points by the end of the third quarter.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the leading scorer for the Thunder with 25 points, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Mavericks from cruising to an easy victory. Despite acquiring All-Star Gordon Hayward from the Hornets before the deadline, the Thunder decided not to play him before the All-Star break.
Mavs coach Jason Kidd was pleased with the team’s performance, particularly with the energy and effort displayed by Gafford off the bench. He also praised the team’s ability to maintain a fast pace without running up anyone’s minutes. With Doncic and Irving in the lineup, the Mavericks have now won all four games, and their next game is against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.
