OKLAHOMA CITY — Hoping for a second-chance bucket, Anthony Davis tried to get some momentum before the halftime break. Instead, several OKC defenders swarmed Dallas’ best player. Chet Holmgren swatted his layup attempt away as the buzzer sounded.

That about encapsulated the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s 132-111 win over the Dallas Mavericks. The middle quarters showed a sea-sized gap between the two teams — even with the former without several players.

Early on, it felt like the Mavericks would keep up with the Thunder. They’ve figured some things out since Nico Harrison was let go. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got going, but so did Cooper Flagg. Both teams were tied at 27 points apiece.

And then the Thunder gained control of the game flow. They scored 36 points in the second frame. A 20-8 run had this turn into a lopsided contest within the blink of an eye. The usual third-quarter avalanche run happened a little earlier. The Thunder entered halftime with a 63-48 lead over the Mavericks.

The Thunder piled on in the third quarter. They scored 41 points in the frame. Gilgeous-Alexander couldn’t be stopped. Paired with the NBA’s best defense, their lead ballooned past 20 points. Nothing could go the Mavericks’ way as they played without a true playmaker. The reigning MVP had an efficient 33 points in three quarters.

After the game-sealing third quarter, the Thunder had a 104-74 lead. The only drama left was whether Davis would be held to a wild goose egg. Instead, he finally got on the scoreboard — but barely. Both teams cleared their benches as OKC scored 28 points in the final frame.

The Thunder shot 56% from the field and went 12-of-30 (40%) from 3. They shot 26-of-28 on free throws. They had 30 assists on 47 baskets. Six Thunder players scored double-digit points. All 12 OKC players played notable minutes and scored.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 33 points and six assists. Jalen Williams finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Holmgren had 15 points and eight rebounds. Cason Wallace had 11 points and four rebounds. Aaron Wiggins scored 11 points. Kenrich Williams tallied 10 points.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks shot 48% from the field and went 16-of-37 (43.2%) from 3. They shot 13-of-20 on free throws. They had 28 assists on 41 baskets. Six Mavericks players scored double-digit points.

Flagg finished with 16 points and two rebounds. Davis was held to two points and eight rebounds. Jaden Hardy scored 23 points off the bench. Naji Marshall had 18 points. D’Angelo Russell and Max Christie each tallied 12 points apiece. Ryan Nembhard had 10 points.

Well, this is business as usual for the Thunder. They’re the NBA’s best team for a reason. Gilgeous-Alexander is a scoring machine that headlines the best defense the league has seen in decades. Combine those two elite elements, and you spit out a win machine where more games end in double-digit victories than losses.

Let’s look at Thunder player grades:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: A-plus

Bringing the ball up on Christie, Gilgeous-Alexander started to dance. A cross-over morphed into a behind-the-back dribble. With his defender unsure of his next move, he drove right before he planted his foot. He spun around and swished in the fadeaway mid-range jumper that swished in.

Just playing with his food. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 33 points on 10-of-12 shooting, six assists and five rebounds. He shot 2-of-2 from 3 and went 11-of-12 on free throws. He also had a block.

At this point, this is what Gilgeous-Alexander does. Anytime he pulls up from the mid-range area, you can expect it to rattle in. The footwork is one of a kind. The patience is immeasurable. Every time the reigning MVP had that look in his eye, he was about to write another line of basketball poetry.

Putting this one away, Gilgeous-Alexander was unstoppable in the third quarter. He scored 16 points to put this one away. It was another work shift where he was able to clock out earlier than scheduled. He outpaced his minutes played with his points total.

While Nembhard and Christie have been fun stories, they’re nowhere near equipped to limit Gilgeous-Alexander. It was an unfair matchup that helped him put up another superb-efficient 30-plus points in three quarters before he sat out the final frame again — which has turned into an every-other-game occurrence.

Not much else needs to be said about Gilgeous-Alexander that’s new. He’s one of the greatest scorers ever. What you’re watching right now is NBA history. Enjoy it while he’s at the peak of his powers. Don’t let disingenuous social media discourse blind you from that.

Jalen Williams: B

After Ajay Mitchell ripped the ball away on Dallas’ inbound attempt, Williams trailed behind in transition. He was awarded for keeping up as he received a behind-the-back pass that he threw down for a fastbreak dunk that the OKC crowd loved.

Williams finished with 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting, eight rebounds and five assists. He shot 1-of-3 from 3 and went 4-of-4 on free throws. He also had a steal.

Still figuring out how to shoot, Williams frequently attacked the basket. The Mavericks didn’t have anybody with the right mix of size and speed to slow him down. It was also a short night for the 24-year-old, as he sat out the fourth quarter with a lopsided score.

It’ll be a work in progress on the offensive side for Williams. He admitted as much. For the first time since his return, he pulled back the curtains a bit on his extensive rehab process. At this point, time is the only thing that’ll get him closer to being fully back.

On the defensive side, though, the Thunder have added an All-Defense player to the NBA’s clear-cut best defense. He helps pressure ball-handlers and can step up as a secondary rim protector when needed. Utilizing his lengthy wingspan, he can poke the ball out of the opposing players’ possession.

Williams has helped OKC’s dominance. And that’ll only increase once he gets more comfortable as a scorer. That should scare the rest of the NBA, as the Thunder have made it obvious in the last two seasons that they belong in a tier of their own.

Chet Holmgren: B

After Williams’ floater was off, he collected his own miss. That’s when Holmgren cut to the basket as an open lane was forged. He received the pass and threw down a two-handed dunk without a single player contesting it. Flagg and Davis looked at each other in confusion.

Holmgren finished with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting, eight rebounds and one assist. He shot 1-of-4 from 3 and went 2-of-2 on free throws. He also had a block.

Playing another game at center, Holmgren was busy inside the paint. Rolls to the basket resulted in easy dunks. Historically speaking, Davis has had his number. Which there’s nothing wrong with that. He’s a future Hall-of-Famer. But in this latest chapter, the former made the latter look a step slow the whole night.

The Mavericks couldn’t get anything going in the middle quarters. The halfcourt offense was muddied down. While the block numbers aren’t where they’re usually at, Holmgren’s presence still forces opposing players to give a second thought if they truly want to attack him on the drive. You saw that plenty here.

Holmgren also had a short night. He sat out the fourth quarter. The Thunder have normalized blowout wins at this point. They should expect to have a second All-Star players this season with their historic dominance to accompany Gilgeous-Alexander. Expect that to be the 23-year-old.

Cason Wallace: B

Matched up on Flagg, Wallace went right at him. A dribble between the legs had him drive left to the basket. He created enough separation to jump in the air and score the layup. Usually quiet with his scoring bag, the 22-year-old was feeling himself.

Wallace finished with 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting, four rebounds and one assist. He shot 3-of-5 from 3. He also had a steal.

On a team filled with some of the NBA’s best defenders in all varieties, Wallace was the one who got the national recognition. He won the monthly award for the West’s Defensive Player of the Month. You can see why as he’s near the top of the leaderboards for steals. He also helped shut down Flagg after a hot streak. Dallas’ fiery backcourt also was pretty quiet.

On offense, the outside shot fell for him. If you’re the Thunder, you hope that continues. Gilgeous-Alexander will also get the attention of all five defenders when he attacks the basket. That means expect plenty of kick-out passes to the perimeter. He knocked them down tonight to help bury the Mavericks on the scoreboard.

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