Thunder Dismantle Mavericks, Rough Night For Anthony Davis

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander powered the Thunder to a 14th straight win as Anthony Davis exited briefly with a knee scare.

5 Min Read
Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City’s historic run continued Friday night as the Thunder overwhelmed the Mavericks from start to finish (132-111). The win pushed their streak to fourteen games and moved them to a stunning 22-1 on the season, with the home crowd watching another dominant performance from one of the league’s most complete teams.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 33 points, five rebounds, six assists, zero steals, and one block on 83.3 percent shooting (2-2 from three). Chet Holmgren added 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and one steal on 54.5 percent shooting (1-4 from three). Jalen Williams chipped in 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one steal, and zero blocks while shooting 45.5 percent from the field (1-3 from deep).

“They’re not just beating teams…they’re barely breaking a sweat while doing it,” wrote one fan. “We’re watching an all-time great season unfold right now.”

Dallas, meanwhile, never found consistent offense. Jaden Hardy was their top contributor with 23 points, two rebounds, two assists, zero steals, and zero blocks on 61.5 percent shooting (5-9 from three). Cooper Flagg followed with 16 points, two rebounds, two assists, zero steals, and zero blocks on 45.5 percent shooting (0-3 from three). Naji Marshall added 18 points, one rebound, two assists, one steal, and zero blocks on 72.7 percent shooting (0-2 from three).

It was another masterpiece from the Thunder, who shot 56.0 percent as a team with only six turnovers. They had everything clicking tonight, which is much more than could be said for the Mavericks.

“I am doing my best to really appreciate this squad, man,” one Thunder fan wrote. “So many years of ‘this is it’ and now we’re here. I love this team so much.”

They were winners of three straight heading into this matchup, but OKC’s length, versatility, and execution were enough to shut them down completely. On top of that, it was arguably the worst performance of Anthony Davis’ career, as he finished with just two points, eight rebounds, six assists, zero steals, and one block on 11.1 percent shooting.

Things got even worse when Davis went down in the third quarter while guarding Chet Holmgren, grabbing his knee as the arena fell silent. He eventually returned, but his limited mobility raised questions about the seriousness of the scare.

“I think maybe they just bumped knees, but he was fine, he went back in. He was fine,” said Kidd after the game.

While Davis appears fine, his extensive injury history warrants extra caution with his health, especially with so much riding on his success. At his best, he can take the Mavericks to contention in the West, but it hasn’t translated well so far amid a 16-6 start.

“Anthony Davis certainly hasn’t been the same since leaving the Lakers,” one fan wrote after the game. “Gotta feel for the former Lakers championship winner. Lakeshow certainly won the Luka and Anthony trade by a country mile.”

Meanwhile, for the Thunder, the insertion of J-Dub back into the lineup has only made them harder to beat. At 22-1, they are on a record win pace, led by the reigning MVP who is averaging 32.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game on 54.8 percent shooting (43.4 percent from three).

As winners of fourteen straight, nobody can beat the Thunder right now, and their combined talent, depth, and versatility at every position have made them a budding dynasty in the West. It’s night and day compared to the scene in Dallas, Texas, right now.

Despite the loss, the Mavericks will try to regroup quickly and hope Anthony Davis can put this setback behind him as they work to steady their season. The Thunder, on the other hand, looks every bit like a contender that has found its identity and rhythm far earlier than anyone expected. If they keep playing at this level, the rest of the West may be fighting for second place.

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Nico Martinez is a veteran staff writer for Fadeaway World from Brooklyn, New York. He joined Fadeaway World in 2016 and is currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. Nico holds a degree in Sports Management from Columbia International University where he built a strong foundation in the inner workings of sports media and management. Nico's contributions have significantly enhanced the credibility and depth of Fadeaway World's content, earning him recognition across the sports journalism community. His work has been discussed in prestigious publications like Sports Illustrated. A dedicated follower of LeBron James, Nico often leads coverage on news related to the basketball star. With nearly a decade of experience in sports journalism, Nico consistently provides comprehensive and timely basketball news, engaging a wide audience of basketball enthusiasts.Nico's most desired player to interview, past or present, is Kevin Durant. He is particularly keen on asking Durant if he has any regrets about his career, especially concerning his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and why he engages so much with fans on social media. 
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