yardbarker
The Oklahoma City Thunder had opened the 2026 campaign with four straight victories, but their perfect start came to an abrupt halt on Saturday night. Behind a stellar 26-point, eight-assist, five-rebound performance from Cooper Flagg—who committed zero turnovers—the Dallas Mavericks dominated the Thunder 120-96, moving above .500 and handing OKC its first defeat of the young season.
The win also served as the first marquee victory of the Dusty May era in Dallas. May, a former NCAA national champion, made the leap from Michigan to the NBA this offseason to succeed Jason Kidd on the sidelines.
Next on the Mavericks' schedule is a matchup with the 5-0 Houston Rockets, who previously defeated Dallas 128-110 in the season opener for both teams.
Key Analysis
Flagg, who averaged 21.0 points per game en route to Rookie of the Year honors, has elevated his scoring to 25.3 points per contest through five games of his second NBA season. His turnover-free outing against Oklahoma City underscores his growth as a primary playmaker and signals that the Mavericks may have found a franchise cornerstone in the young forward.
Originally reported by yardbarker.