Cooper Flagg, No. 1 pick, flashed versatile impact in his Mavericks preseason debut: 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and a block in 14 minutes. He scored in a rapid two-minute stretch, including a coast-to-coast layup and a couple of threes, while handling some point-guard duties without a turnover. A blocked layup by Flagg early sparked a fast break that ended with a Davis dunk, underscoring his defensive motor and playmaking.

Dallas leaned on Flagg’s multi-positional flair as Jason Kidd praised his well-rounded show. Oklahoma City rested regulars on the back-to-back, giving the rookie a clean stage in a 106-89 win. The performance hints at fantasy upside in dynasty formats and adds a compelling element to DAL’s evolving young core.

Thunder drop 106-89 in a preseason tilt as their top stars sat, turning the spotlight toward a developing depth chart and Cooper Flagg’s anticipated Mavericks debut. The Thunder’s offense looked rudderless early, with a 31% clip and too little primary ball-handling, but Jaylin Williams popped as the standout in the group with a clean outside stroke and steady floor presence. Oklahoma City also leaned on the energy of Brooks Barnhizer and the steadiness of Ousmane Dieng, while Cason Wallace endured a rough shooting night in the lead-guard role.

Dallas leaned on its emerging depth, letting Flagg and Anthony Davis headline a front-row of rotation pieces who produced behind a strong free-throw surge and efficient scoring from the bench. PJ Washington, Jaden Hardy and Max Christie each hit double figures, and Dereck Lively II anchored the paint in bursts. Overall, the result mattered less than the evaluation of roles, minutes, and potential fantasy-paths as both teams sharpen for Opening Night.

Flagg’s 10-point burst and Davis’ quiet 7 and 7 provided a glimpse into how Dallas plans to balance a cached veteran with a rising cohort. For fantasy, Williams’ outside shot, Dieng’s versatility, Barnhizer’s motor, and the Thunder’s unsettled backcourt figure as early indicators of who could carve out safe nightly roles during the regular season, even as the box score tells a preseason story.

Thunder fall 106-89 to Mavericks in Fort Worth as OKC tests a deep, young core.

Jaylin Williams (14) and Cason Wallace (8) pace the guard group; Brooks Barnhizer goes for 16 and 7; Ousmane Dieng fills the stat sheet with 12, 7 and 6 assists; Cooper Flagg debuts with 10 and 6.

Flagg's upside remains the long view, while Williams and Wallace could push for meaningful minutes early. The bench unit shows playmaking and defensive versatility, offering tangible fantasy upside in multi-cat formats.