Kyrie Irving scores 15 in first home game since ACL tear as Mavericks hand Thunder first loss, 120-96

Kyrie Irving was back in front of the home crowd in Dallas on Wednesday night, Oct. 28, and the Dallas Mavericks gave him a big night to remember. Irving scored 15 points in his first regular-season home game since tearing the ACL in his left knee, and the Mavericks beat the previously unbeaten Oklahoma City Thunder 120-96 at American Airlines Center.

The loss was Oklahoma City’s first of the season. The Thunder dropped to 4-1, and Dallas improved to 3-2.

Thunder vs. Mavericks: final score

Dallas led after every quarter and pulled away late, outscoring Oklahoma City 26-15 in the fourth, according to The Oklahoman’s quarter-by-quarter scoring.

How did Kyrie Irving play?

Irving came out hot. According to the Dallas Sports Journal, he made all four of his shots in the first quarter, three of them 3-pointers, and had 11 points by the end of the period. He finished with:

• 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting (3 of 8 from 3-point range)
• 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks and 2 rebounds
• 26:58 of playing time

Dallas outscored the Thunder by 25 points with Irving on the floor, the best plus-minus on either team, the Dallas Sports Journal reported. He scored only 4 points over the final three quarters and sat for good with 5:33 left.

Why was this game a big deal for Irving?

Irving tore his left ACL on March 3, 2025, in a home game against the Sacramento Kings and missed all of last season. He returned in the season opener at Houston on Oct. 21 and has scored 15, 24, 18 and 15 points in his four games, according to the Dallas Sports Journal.

He sat out Saturday’s home loss to the San Antonio Spurs for left knee injury management on the second night of a back-to-back, so Wednesday was his first regular-season game at American Airlines Center since the injury. Coach Dusty May has confirmed that Irving is on a minutes restriction.

Irving played down the emotion afterward. “Tonight felt like another game on the schedule rather than just like a welcome back to AAC moment,” he said, as quoted by the Dallas Sports Journal. He called the win “a step in the right direction.”

Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving together

Cooper Flagg led Dallas with 26 points and 8 assists, according to the Dallas Sports Journal and The Oklahoman. Flagg played all of his rookie season without Irving and missed the Spurs game with a left shoulder sprain, so this was the first time the two played together in a regular-season game in Dallas.

“He attracts so much attention that it opens up the floor for everybody else,” Flagg said of Irving. May added that Irving is “still just getting his rhythm back” and that “when he’s on the floor, we’re really, really good.”

Dallas assisted on 30 of its 46 field goals. Caleb Martin scored 10 points in his season debut after missing four games with a right thumb sprain, and Daniel Gafford grabbed 11 rebounds.

What happened to the Thunder?

Oklahoma City was badly shorthanded. The Oklahoman listed Jalen Williams (left ankle fracture), Cason Wallace (left shoulder labral tear), Chet Holmgren (right knee patellar tendinitis), Alex Caruso (right ankle sprain), Nikola Topić and Thomas Sorber as out.

• Ajay Mitchell led the Thunder with 29 points.
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 21 points and 6 rebounds.
• Isaiah Hartenstein added 10 points and 14 rebounds.
• Kenrich Williams started and had 5 points in the first quarter, The Oklahoman reported.

Dallas also had a long injury list, including Dereck Lively II, Santi Aldama and Naji Marshall.

What’s next for the Mavs and OKC?

• Mavericks: host the Houston Rockets on Friday at 7 p.m. CT.
• Thunder: visit the unbeaten Rockets (5-0) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. CT.

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