Thunder, without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, fall to Mavs

Kyrie Irving scored 25 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 106-98 home win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

The Mavericks snapped a three-game losing streak, while the Thunder lost for just the second time in their past 21 games.

Oklahoma City, which came into the game having won four consecutive games, including a 20-point victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, was without star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the first time this season.

Gilgeous-Alexander missed the game due to a right wrist sprain.

The Mavericks led by 20 at halftime, but they didn't cruise to the win.

The Thunder roared back to take a lead in the third quarter, and they trailed by one with 4 1/2 minutes remaining.

Dallas' Naji Marshall was fouled on a driving layup and finished off the three-point play to ignite a 14-4 run that put the game away.

Spencer Dinwiddie hit a pair of 3-pointers in that closing stretch to help the Mavericks hold on.

Playing with a lineup that was also without big men Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City trailed 63-43 at halftime after getting outscored 41-17 in the second quarter.

Dallas scored 16 points off the Thunder's eight turnovers in the second while shooting a blistering 13 of 18 from the floor (including 7 of 10 from 3-point range) in the period.

However, the Thunder roared back, holding the Mavericks without a field goal for nearly seven minutes to start the third quarter.

Dallas missed its first nine shots of the second half before Irving stopped sank a finger roll to end a 22-2 Oklahoma City run.

The Thunder kept coming, taking the lead twice late in the third.

Marshall helped right the Mavericks, scoring nine of his 14 points in the fourth to help Dallas pull away.

Jalen Williams led Oklahoma City with 19 points but shot just 7 of 22 from the floor, while Luguentz Dort added 18.

Dallas finished with 29 points off the Thunder's 15 turnovers while Oklahoma City managed just 17 off the Mavericks' 17 giveaways.

--Field Level Media