• Oklahoma City Thunder (3-0) @ Dallas Mavericks (1-2)
• When: Monday, 27 October 2025 at 7:30pm CST
• Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
• TV: FDOK
• Offensive Rating: DAL: 106.3 (26th) / OKC: 116.4 (10th)
• Defensive Rating: DAL: 115.9 (19th) / OKC: 106.8 (5th)
• Net Rating: DAL: -9.6 (26th) / OKC: 9.6 (4th)

The Set-Up

Regional rivalries. The rivalries that never die, regardless of record. Think OU vs. Texas, Indiana vs. Detroit, New York vs. Boston, etc. Timeless classics where civic fandom shines the brightest. Yeah, “era rivalries” are fun, but they are like fireworks: they look great when they are being shot off, but a day later, no one really cares or reminisces too much about them. Even though both are currently still good teams, there is no fervent clamoring for Cleveland vs. Golden State.

OKC vs. Dallas has always been a fun rivalry. The Battle of I-35. Since the existence of the Thunder, both teams have been chockful of great, MVP-level players and championship contention. Both teams have won a championship during that time. And both team are hellbent on winning another. Here’s to another 18 years of regional hate/respect.

This is the first of three meetings this season between the Thunder and Mavs. The Mavs were the only team in the league last season to defeat the Thunder three times in the regular season. The Thunder’s lone victory: the NBA Cup quarterfinals. Got to win the ones that count.

Betting Info presented by FanDuel

• Line: OKC -8.5
• O/U: 226.5

Injury Report

OKC

• Alex Caruso – OUT (concussion protocol)
• Chet Holmgren – Questionable (back)
• Isaiah Joe – OUT (knee)
• Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee-ACL)
• Nikola Topic – OUT (testicular procedure)
• Jalen Williams – OUT (wrist)
• Kenrich Williams – OUT (knee)

DAL

• Dante Exum – OUT (knee)
• Daniel Gafford – Doubtful (ankle)
• Kyrie Irving – OUT (knee)
• Dereck Lively II – Doubtful (knee)
• Brandon Williams – Questionable (personal)

Three Big Things

1. Weakness vs. Strength – The Thunder are probably the best perimeter defense in the league. The Mavericks, who currently don’t have a healthy point guard on the roster, average 19 turnovers per game and have a rookie power forward running point. Now mind you, that rookie power forward is number one pick Cooper Flagg and his tenure as the team’s starting point guard has improved with each game played. But still, the Thunder should find ways to turn the Mavericks over and turn defense into offense pretty consistently in this game.
2. PJ Washington – Definitely up there in the pantheon of Thunder killers. For some reason, the man has a hatred for Oklahoma City. Since joining the Mavericks around the 2024 trade deadline, Washington is averaging 17.4 points and 9.4 rebounds, while shooting 41.7% from three whenever he plays against OKC (to include the playoffs). In addition, Dallas has won five games in a row against the Thunder when Washington plays and 8 of 11 overall during his Mavs tenure. As much as we don’t want to make it a thing, it’s a little bit of a thing.
3. Ajay Mitchell – There’s a saying in the NBA where if you want to see if a player is actually good, that you need to wait at least 10 games to see if his quality of play continues after that. Reason being is that once NBA coaches get ten games worth of film on a player, they usually have mapped out ways to defend the player. In three games this season, Mitchell has been a revelation, averaging 18.7 points, 4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on 42% shooting from deep while providing OKC with the secondary ball-handler they so desperately needed with the absence of Jalen Williams. It’ll be interesting to see how teams start to defend Mitchell now, knowing he is the team’s 2nd best play-maker and ball-handler. Conversely, it’ll be interesting to watch Mitchell’s counters to what defenses throw at him now.