The Dallas Mavericks got the upper hand on the Oklahoma City Thunder for the second time this season, though it was undermanned.

The Thunder is now tied with the Cavaliers for the best record in the NBA. Dallas (22-19) suffered a 119-116 road loss to New Orleans on Wednesday. The Mavericks will be without star guard Luka Doncic (left calf strain).

Like the new kid at school who gets bullied by the older kids, sometimes the best advice a parent can give involves consequences — fight back and stand up for yourself, suspensions be damned. The Oklahoma City Thunder might need to apply that mindset against PJ Washington in their next matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.

In a recent interview, Kyrie Irving described his trade from the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks as a victory.

Nets team, saying the Mavericks didn’t just win the swap that brought him to Dallas, but got the best deal in the NBA.

Kyrie Irving is in his second full season with the Dallas Mavericks after the 2023 trade with the Brooklyn Nets that brought him to Dallas. With the NBA trade deadline approaching, the anniversary of Irving being acquired by the Mavericks is also approaching.