SGA dominates shorthanded Dallas with 30 points. Thunder cruise to victory, extending Mavericks' frustrating home losing streak.
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks were already shorthanded before tip-off. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made sure the margin didn't matter.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points, tied his season-high with four steals, and the Oklahoma City Thunder cruised to a 100-87 victory at American Airlines Center on Sunday night, handing Dallas its eighth straight home loss.
The Mavericks fell to 21-39 — their 13th loss in the last 15 games — and were held to a season-low 87 points, snapping a 41-game streak of scoring at least 100. It was the franchise's longest home skid since losing 12 consecutive at home in 1993-94.
Playing just his second game after missing nine with an abdominal strain, Gilgeous-Alexander was sharp. He extended the longest active road scoring streak in NBA history to 59 consecutive games with at least 20 points, and Oklahoma City improved to 25-3 on the season when he scores at least 30 and dishes five or more assists.
"Being able to guard Shai is not easy — Shai can score," Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said.
Chet Holmgren finished with 19 points and nine rebounds, Isaiah Joe added 14 off the bench, and Jared McCain chipped in 11 as the Thunder improved to 47-15 — a half-game behind Detroit for the NBA's best record and three games clear of second-place San Antonio in the West.
Dallas never led. Oklahoma City pushed its advantage to 36-25 after the first quarter and stretched it to 83-69 heading into the fourth before pulling away for good when Joe rattled off an 8-0 personal run midway through the period.
With Cooper Flagg (left midfoot sprain), Naji Marshall (right finger contusion), and P.J. Washington (left ankle sprain) all out, Caleb Martin led the way. The forward scored 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting with three three-pointers — a season high and a career-best as a Maverick — to lead Dallas in scoring for the first time in 65 games with the franchise.
"Just comfortability," Martin said. "Finding my place in this group, feeling better. Obviously gaining confidence through playing minutes and getting those reps in games."
Martin has been shooting above 50% from three since mid-January. Max Christie added 14 points and seven rebounds on 4-of-8 shooting from three, his 10th game this season with at least four made threes. Christie has now converted 133 three-pointers this season, more than any other year of his career.
Dallas turned it over 17 times. Oklahoma City scored 14 points off those miscues, and Gilgeous-Alexander's four steals kept the Mavericks from ever building any momentum.
"Turnovers hurt us," Kidd said. "I'd say it was 50-50 — some things they did, and us not being able to make open shots."
Kidd pointed to a specific tactical failure as a factor.
"We didn't get enough corner threes tonight," he said. "That's something we've done in the past against them — create corner threes — and we didn't do that."
Dallas won the boards, 49-46. Moussa Cissé had 12 rebounds off the bench without scoring a point or recording an assist — just the sixth player in the last 15 years to post that line, joining Moussa Diabaté, Maxi Kleber, Jalen Smith, Bismack Biyombo, and Kendrick Perkins.
Ryan Nembhard played his first game since being converted from a two-way contract to a multi-year standard deal, finishing with 7 points and 5 assists in 12 minutes. His 191 assists on the season passed Elston Turner for the ninth-most by a Mavericks rookie in franchise history. Nembhard leads all rookies in assists at 4.9 per game.
"It was his first game with the group," Kidd said. "I think it'll be better next time."
Klay Thompson exited in the second half with a right adductor contusion and did not return. Brandon Williams scored 14 points off the bench for Dallas.
The Mavericks open a six-game road trip Tuesday at Charlotte. Flagg, who has now missed seven straight, is not expected to play against the Hornets either.