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Dallas Mavericks Focus On ‘Flushing’ Oklahoma City Thunder Loss As Anthony Davis Takes Accountability

Grant AfsethDecember 6, 2025December 6, 2025no comment

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, NBA, Max Christie

Photo by William Purnell/Getty Images

The Dallas Mavericks left Paycom Center on Friday night with little interest in dwelling on what went wrong in a 132–111 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The game unraveled across the second and third quarters, their three-game win streak evaporated, and Anthony Davis endured one of the most difficult scoring nights of his career.

But as the Mavericks filed out for a short flight back to Dallas, the message from the locker room was unmistakable: move on immediately.

“We don’t have time — I don’t have time — to dwell on it,” Davis said after finishing with two points on 1-of-9 shooting. “We have a 24-hour turnaround and we play tomorrow. Gotta get prepared for tomorrow.”

Those words were not simply frustration speaking. They reflected the organization’s reality. With Houston visiting on Saturday — owners of one of the NBA’s top defenses — Dallas cannot afford emotional spillover or self-inflicted drag from a game that spiraled beyond recovery.

Anthony Davis Shoulders Blame for Offensive Struggles

The Thunder smothered Davis from the opening minutes, fronting post entries, loading bodies behind the catch, and doubling as soon as the ball touched his hands. The approach forced Davis to rely on playmaking more than scoring, and the result was a night in which he never found rhythm.

He did not score until the 8:08 mark of the fourth quarter.

“I hold myself accountable for the play,” Davis said. “When I catch the ball, (they) have guys loaded up… there’s not much room to operate. But we don’t have time to dwell on it.”

Despite the difficult night, Davis remained engaged defensively, finishing with eight rebounds, six assists and a late block. He also confirmed that the knee-to-knee collision with Chet Holmgren was minor and that he expects to play Saturday.

“I’m fine,” he said. “I’m planning on playing tomorrow.”

A Needed Reset After a Night That Slipped Away Quickly

The Mavericks remained competitive for more than a quarter, even trimming OKC’s lead to 49–45 late in the second period. Then came the stretch that unraveled everything.

“We couldn’t score,” coach Jason Kidd said. “We let the fouls get to us and we just lost our composure.”

Ryan Nembhard echoed the same sentiment from a floor-level perspective.

“Yeah, this is a flush situation,” he said. “We have Houston tomorrow. Get home, get some rest, and figure out what we have to do to get a win.”

The Mavericks finished shooting 41-of-86 (47.7%), numbers boosted heavily by fourth-quarter scoring, while Oklahoma City cruised behind 47-of-84 (56.0%) shooting and 26-of-28 (92.9%) free throws. The Thunder punished stagnant Dallas possessions and turned small mistakes into momentum swings that snowballed out of reach.

But inside the Mavericks’ locker room, there was no lingering frustration — only a push toward urgency.

“Be on the plane, land, sleep, wake up,” Davis said. “Don’t have much time to sit on it.”

Eyes Already on Houston Rockets

Saturday’s home matchup offers a rapid test of Dallas’ resilience. The Rockets’ length, pressure and half-court discipline mirror many of the strengths that overwhelmed the Mavericks in Oklahoma City. They will again be without P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, further heightening the significance of Davis’ intention to play.

Dallas’ message, though, is clear: this game is already behind them.

“We got to flush this one and move on,” Nembhard said.

For the Mavericks, the turnaround is less about forgetting what happened and more about refusing to carry it forward — an essential mindset for a team fighting to build consistency amid injuries, rotation changes, and a challenging schedule.

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Grant Afseth

Senior Writer

Grant Afseth is a Senior Writer for DallasHoopsJournal.com, where he leads in-depth coverage of the Mavericks, Wings, and more. Between a focus on the latest news, closer looks at games, front office strategy, and more, Afseth provides objective coverage. Afseth contributes broader NBA coverage across platforms and has been cited in national outlets for his reporting and analysis. With nearly a decade of journalism experience, Afseth has covered the NBA and WNBA for multiple major outlets, including Athlon Sports, BallIsLife, Sportskeeda, and RG.org. He previously reported on the Indiana Pacers for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and the Mavericks for FanNation.

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Dallas Mavericks Focus On ‘Flushing’ Oklahoma City Thunder Loss As Anthony Davis Takes Accountability

Anthony Davis Shoulders Blame for Offensive Struggles