Thunder Top Mavericks in 2023 Las Vegas Summer League Debut

The Oklahoma City Thunder took down the Dallas Mavericks 91-80 in both team's Las Vegas Summer League opener on Saturday afternoon.

In his first professional contest, rookie guard Cason Wallace led the way for OKC with 20 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals, knocking down six 3-pointers in the win.

The Thunder got off to a slow start, going 0-for-6 from the field until a triple from Wallace tied the game 3-3. The first-year ball handler knocked down another shot from beyond the arc a few moments later to tie the game at six.

With less than four minutes left in the opening frame, Jared Butler knocked down Oklahoma City's third 3-pointer of the quarter to put the Thunder ahead 11-10. OKC continued to pour it on, as rookie center Chet Holmgren hit a shot from beyond the arc that extended Oklahoma City's advantage to 16-10.

The No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA draft added a dunk a few moments later to extend the Thunder's run to 10-2. Heading into the second quarter, OKC held an 18-15 lead over the Mavericks.

Three minutes into the second, a triple from Brandon Randolph gave Dallas the lead once again before Tre Mann knocked down consecutive shots from beyond the arc to reclaim the lead for Oklahoma City. Wallace knocked down his third 3-pointer of the half shortly after to bring the score to 30-25.

Ousmane Dieng joined in on the three point barrage as well, knocking down triples on consecutive possessions to extend OKC's lead to 37-28. After another 3-pointer from Wallace and one from Jaylin Williams, the Thunder led 43-34 with about three minutes remaining in the first half.

Wallace knocked down his fifth and Oklahoma City's 12th triple of the first half, helping lead OKC to a 48-42 halftime lead.

Coming out of the break, Dieng picked up where he left off, knocking down yet another shot from beyond the arc. After the second-year wing's third 3-pointer of the contest, the Thunder went cold, failing to score again for four minutes.

In the meantime, the Mavericks embarked on a 12-3 that cut OKC's lead to 51-50. With the game tied at 53, Dallas guard Jaden Hardy connected on a 3-pointer of his own that would momentarily swing the lead back to the Mavericks.

A floater from Williams, a free throw from Holmgren and a triple from Butler, Oklahoma City took a 61-56 advantage. After Butler and Jaden Shackelford nailed two more shots from downtown, the Thunder led by eight.

Heading into the fourth quarter, OKC held a 69-61 lead over Dallas.

The Thunder started the final frame on an 8-3 run, growing their lead to 77-64 with seven and a half minutes left in the game. A few minutes later, Wallace knocked down a shot from half court after the ball got knocked into the backcourt late in the shot clock.

Wallace's miraculous buzzer-beater gave Oklahoma City an 82-69 lead. The Mavericks began to creep back into the game, cutting OKC's lead to seven with just under three minutes left in the contest.

Dallas couldn't overcome 19 made 3-pointers from the Thunder, however, as Holmgren, Wallace and company took down the Mavericks 91-80.

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