Mavericks hand Thunder first loss 120-96; Curry scores 44, Wembanyama 36 in NBA night
Cooper Flagg led Dallas to a 120-96 rout of Oklahoma City, ending Oklahoma City's unbeaten start, while Stephen Curry's 44 points and Victor Wembanyama's 36 headlined a 12-game Wednesday that left Houston as the NBA's last unbeaten team.
At a glance
- The Dallas Mavericks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-96 in Dallas on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, handing the Thunder their first defeat of the season; Cooper Flagg had 26 points and 8 assists.
- Dallas hit a season-best 16 three-pointers, while Oklahoma City, missing Jalen Williams (out for the season) and Cason Wallace, made just 5 of 32 from deep.
- Stephen Curry scored a season-high 44 points as Golden State won 119-114 in Minnesota; Victor Wembanyama had 36 points and 14 rebounds in San Antonio's 117-111 overtime win in Utah.
- Houston beat Milwaukee 132-100 to move to 5-0 and is now the only unbeaten team in the league.
- Jalen Brunson scored 38 in the Knicks' 133-127 win in Chicago, and Nikola Jokic had a triple-double (21-13-10) as Denver won in New Orleans.
The Dallas Mavericks ended the Oklahoma City Thunder's unbeaten start on Wednesday night, October 28, 2026, routing the shorthanded Thunder 120-96 in Dallas behind 26 points and 8 assists from Cooper Flagg. On a busy 12-game night, Stephen Curry scored a season-high 44 points in Golden State's win in Minnesota, Victor Wembanyama posted 36 points and 14 rebounds in an overtime victory in Utah, and the Houston Rockets crushed Milwaukee to stay perfect at 5-0 — now the only unbeaten team in the league.
All the results
| Away | Score | Home | Top performers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 96–120 | Dallas Mavericks | Cooper Flagg (DAL) 26 pts, 8 ast; Ajay Mitchell (OKC) 29 pts |
| Golden State Warriors | 119–114 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Stephen Curry (GS) 44 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast; Jonathan Kuminga (MIN) 20 pts |
| San Antonio Spurs | 117–111 (OT) | Utah Jazz | Victor Wembanyama (SA) 36 pts, 14 reb; Keyonte George (UTA) 31 pts |
| Houston Rockets | 132–100 | Milwaukee Bucks | Fred VanVleet (HOU) 24 pts; Tyler Herro (MIL) 23 pts |
| New York Knicks | 133–127 | Chicago Bulls | Jalen Brunson (NY) 38 pts, 7 ast |
| Miami Heat | 129–117 | Atlanta Hawks | Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIA) 24 pts, 18 reb |
| Denver Nuggets | 104–91 | New Orleans Pelicans | Nikola Jokic (DEN) 21 pts, 13 reb, 10 ast; Zion Williamson (NO) 25 pts |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 103–87 | LA Clippers | Quentin Grimes (LAL) 23 pts |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 114–109 | Indiana Pacers | Tyrese Maxey (PHI) 27 pts; Pascal Siakam (IND) 26 pts, 11 reb |
| Washington Wizards | 111–121 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Evan Mobley (CLE) 24 pts, 12 reb |
| Orlando Magic | 99–129 | Toronto Raptors | Scottie Barnes (TOR) 28 pts |
| Charlotte Hornets | 89–97 | Detroit Pistons | Cade Cunningham (DET) 30 pts; Brandon Miller (CHA) 31 pts, 12 reb |
Mavericks 120, Thunder 96
Oklahoma City arrived in Dallas at 4-0 but badly undermanned, without Jalen Williams, who is out for the season, and Cason Wallace, who is out indefinitely. The Mavericks punished them from long range, making a season-best 16 of 45 three-point attempts while the Thunder went a season-low 5 of 32.
Flagg, the 19-year-old forward in his second NBA season, ran the offence as well as scoring, finishing with 26 points and 8 assists. P.J. Washington added 18 points and nine rebounds, and eight Dallas players scored in double figures. Ajay Mitchell led all scorers with 29 points for Oklahoma City, but the visitors never found a second reliable source of offence. Dallas improved to 3-2; the Thunder dropped to 4-1.
Curry, Wembanyama and Brunson carry their teams
In Minneapolis, Curry had his best scoring night of the young season, pouring in 44 points with 8 rebounds and 6 assists as Golden State held off the Timberwolves 119-114 to improve to 2-3. Jonathan Kuminga led Minnesota with 20.
Wembanyama needed overtime to drag San Antonio past Utah, finishing with 36 points and 14 rebounds in a 117-111 win, while Keyonte George scored 31 for the Jazz. In Chicago, Jalen Brunson's 38 points and 7 assists carried the Knicks to a 133-127 shootout win — their second straight victory after a 0-3 start.
Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double of 21 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in Denver's 104-91 win in New Orleans, which left the Pelicans as the league's only winless team at 0-4.
Rockets the last unbeaten team
Houston's 132-100 demolition of the Bucks in Milwaukee, led by Fred VanVleet's 24 points, took the Rockets to 5-0. With the Thunder's defeat, they are now the only team in the league without a loss. The Lakers (4-1) beat the Clippers 103-87 in their Los Angeles derby, Philadelphia won in Indiana to reach 4-1, and Detroit edged Charlotte 97-89 to go 4-1 as Cade Cunningham scored 30.
Why it matters
One defeat in late October changes little in the standings, but it is an early sign of how much Oklahoma City is missing Williams, one of its leading scorers last season. For Dallas, a confident win over one of the league's top teams is a boost for a young roster built around Flagg. Curry's 44 at the age of 38 is also a reminder that Golden State's veteran star can still take over games, while Wembanyama's numbers keep San Antonio among the early-season winners.
What happens next
The Thunder head home looking to start a new run, and the Mavericks try to build a winning streak. Houston puts its perfect record on the line in its next game, with the league schedule continuing on Thursday night, US time (Friday morning in Pakistan).
Questions people are asking
Who handed the Thunder their first loss of the 2026-27 season?
The Dallas Mavericks, who beat Oklahoma City 120-96 at home on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Cooper Flagg led Dallas with 26 points and 8 assists, and the Thunder fell to 4-1.
How many points did Stephen Curry score against the Timberwolves?
Curry scored a season-high 44 points, with 8 rebounds and 6 assists, as the Golden State Warriors won 119-114 in Minneapolis on October 28, 2026.
Which NBA team is still unbeaten?
After Wednesday's games the Houston Rockets are the only unbeaten team at 5-0, following their 132-100 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Oklahoma City's loss in Dallas ended its perfect start.
