Isaiah Hartenstein scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 101-94 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday at American Airlines Center. The win keeps the defending NBA champions undefeated at 4-0.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 23 points, while Chet Holmgren added 18 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks as the Thunder overcame a late Dallas surge. Oklahoma City outscored the Mavericks 68-36 in the paint and outrebounded them 55-36.
Anthony Davis led the Mavericks with 26 points and 11 rebounds, but Cooper Flagg, last summer’s No. 1 pick, managed just two points on 1-of-9 shooting after sustaining a left shoulder injury in the opening possession. Dereck Lively II missed the game with a knee contusion.
The Thunder led 93-74 before Dallas went on a 13-0 run, cutting the deficit to one point with 54 seconds left on a jumper by D’Angelo Russell. Hartenstein responded with a left-handed layup, followed by clutch free throws from Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren to seal the victory.
Oklahoma City’s strong interior play and balanced scoring were key, with Hartenstein scoring the team’s only field goals in the final 8:28. The Thunder improved their record after two tough early-season losses, including a double-overtime opener against Indiana.
Dallas, facing their fourth straight home game to start the season, will wrap up the homestand against Indiana on Wednesday. Oklahoma City will host Sacramento on Tuesday.
