Cooper Flagg scores 26 as the Mavericks hand the Thunder their first loss, 120-96

Cooper Flagg scored 26 points with eight assists on Wednesday night, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder 120-96 for the Thunder's first loss of the season.

Flagg shot 10 of 23 and went 4 of 4 at the free-throw line, according to the ESPN box score. P.J. Washington added 18 points and nine rebounds, and Kyrie Irving scored 15, with 13 of them in the first half when he made his first four shots. It was Irving's first regular-season home game since March 3, 2025, when he tore the ACL in his left knee, the Associated Press said.

Dallas led by 12 in the first half and by 27 in the fourth quarter. The Mavericks made a season-best 16 3-pointers on 45 attempts, 11 of them before halftime. One came from center Daniel Gafford, who made his first 3-pointer in eight NBA seasons. The AP said it was his 2,384th career shot and only his second 3-point try. Zaccharie Risacher scored 13 on 5-of-6 shooting off the bench.

Oklahoma City went 5 of 32 from 3-point range, its worst mark of the season. Ajay Mitchell led the Thunder with 29 points on 12-of-20 shooting. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 on 7-of-19 shooting in 28 minutes and finished at minus-21. Jared McCain shot 3 of 13, and Isaiah Hartenstein had 10 points and 14 rebounds. The Thunder had no fast-break points, while Dallas scored 17 in transition, the box score shows.

The Thunder were thin. It was their second game without Jalen Williams, who has a broken leg and a dislocated ankle, and Cason Wallace, who has a torn labrum. Chet Holmgren missed his second straight game with patellar tendinitis in his right knee, and Alex Caruso sat out with patellar tendinitis, according to the AP.

The win was Dusty May's first at home as the Mavericks' coach, in his second try. Dallas is 3-2 and over .500 for the first time since Flagg joined the team last fall. Oklahoma City is 4-1.

Both teams face Houston next. The Mavericks host the unbeaten Rockets on Friday, and the Thunder play at Houston on Saturday.