Kyrie Irving scored 25 points, Spencer Dinwiddie and P.J. Washington Jr. added 16 apiece and the Dallas Mavericks beat Oklahoma City 106-98 as Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed his first game of the season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder fell behind by 20 points at halftime, then started the second half on a 26-to-6 run to get back in it, before losing at Dallas 106-98 on Friday night at the American Airlines Center.

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That decision forced the Thunder to stick close to the Mavericks' role players throughout the first quarter. Once Washington scored the first five points, Irving asserted himself and drained a 3-pointer before finishing at the basket with a finger roll to give the Mavericks an early 10-0 lead.

Both Dallas and OKC were missing MVP candidates on Friday night, but the Mavericks were able to get a much-needed victory.

The Oklahoma City Thunder suffered a 106-98 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The rare defeat had plenty of caveats for both sides. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a late scratch with a wrist sprain. He joined Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein in street clothes. Dallas was without Luka Doncic and Dereck Lively II.

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Meanwhile, the Mavericks (22-19) have struggled without Luka Doncic. They've lost three in a row. They suffered an embarrassing loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. Daniel Gafford had 27 points and 12 rebounds.