The Dallas Mavericks took down the Toronto Raptors on Sunday to claim their first win of the season and will now prepare for a matchup against the defending champion Oklahoma City on Monday at 7:30 p.m.

The two teams played a close matchup throughout the entire first half, with the Raptors taking a slight two-point lead over the Mavericks at the break.

However, Dallas quickly found a rhythm in the third quarter, outscoring the Raptors 39-25 to take a commanding lead heading into the fourth quarter, where Dallas was outscored by only two points to claim the 139-129 victory.

The Mavericks now possess a record of just 1-2 this season despite major issues on both the defensive and offensive sides of the ball, though one major piece of this team has stood out to begin the season.

One of the biggest developments for the Mavericks over the first three games of the year has been the growth of rookie forward Cooper Flagg.

After struggling in his career debut, which is very common for rookies across the league, Flagg has quickly stepped up to become the most consistent offensive threat for the Mavericks in the last two games.

Flagg has managed to contribute 18 points and 5 rebounds in the loss to the Washington Wizards, along with another 22 points and 4 rebounds in the win over the Raptors.

Notably, Flagg became the second-youngest player in NBA history to score 20 or more points while also avoiding any turnovers in a game, trailing only Kobe Bryant as the youngest player in league history to record that stat line.

 

More importantly, Flagg has remained stout on the defensive end while also improving as a playmaker, collecting 10 assists across the Mavericks’ last two matchups.

Dallas will now prepare for a matchup against Oklahoma City on Monday night, which has remained one of the most dominant teams in the league after winning the championship last season.

 The Thunder are one of just two teams in the Western Conference to remain undefeated and are led by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has managed to average 40 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists to open the season.

Despite the Thunder’s impressive performances over the past two seasons, the Mavericks have played well in recent matchups with the Thunder.

Last season, the Mavericks went 3-1 against the Thunder, with many of those victories coming despite Dallas dealing with various injuries to key players.

Dallas will now look to build on last season’s games and claim its second victory of the 2025-26 season.

The Mavericks are currently dealing with a few injuries to players who would otherwise be expected to play, with center Daniel Gafford, guard Dante Exum, and guard Brandon Williams remaining out.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma City is expected to be without guards Alex Caruso, Jalen Williams, and Isaiah Joe as they recover from various injuries.

Thunder center Chet Holmgren is currently listed as questionable for this matchup, though his availability is unlikely to be announced until shortly before the game.