OKC Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks Preseason Game Prediction and Preview

The OKC Thunder will take on the Dallas Mavericks in one of six NBA preseason games scheduled for Monday. The Thunder won the 2025 NBA Finals and have gotten off to a strong start in the preseason.

The team benched all of its starters for its game against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, but still dominated the proceedings, winning 135-114.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks have had a big summer, bringing in veteran guards Dennis Smith Jr. and D’Angelo Russell. The team also drafted Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick during the 2025 draft and will be heading into the new season aiming for a championship.

As most preseason games go, expect Mark Daigneault and Jason Kidd to keep their star players on limited minutes.

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OKC Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks Preview, Predicted Starting Lineups and Prediction

The Thunder-Mavericks game will tip off at Dickies Arena in Texas on Oct. 6. The game is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed on NBA League Pass and FuboTV.

Moneyline: Thunder (-115) vs Mavericks (-125)

Odds: Thunder (+1.5) vs Mavericks (-1.5)

Total: Thunder -110 (u224.5) vs Mavericks -110 (o224.5)

Editor's note: Odds are accurate at the time of writing and may change closer to tip-off.

OKC Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks Preview

As they head into the new season, the OKC Thunder will be the team to beat for many across the league. OKC’s offseason was spent retaining its championship core as the team extended Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Ajay Mitchell, Jalen Williams and Jaylin Williams.

The Thunder are betting on last season’s roster to make another run, as the team hasn’t signed any new players this summer. A lot of the team’s success in 2025-26 will depend on how Gilgeous-Alexander leads this team after its historic performance last season.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks will be looking to leap in the standings this season after finishing 2024-25 as the 10th seed, subsequently missing out on the playoffs. The team will be without Kyrie Irving for a long stretch, but it has made the necessary adjustments to account for his absence.

While the Mavericks have much to prove, fans are excited about the upcoming season. Many believe Monday’s preseason matchup against the Thunder could be a glimpse at what could be one of the more premier matchups in the Western Conference next season.

OKC Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks Predicted Starting Lineups

Thunder

G: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | G: Luguentz Dort | F: Jalen Williams | F: Chet Holmgren | C: Isaiah Hartenstein

Mavericks

G: D’Angelo Russell | G: Klay Thompson | F: Cooper Flagg | F: Anthony Davis | C: Dereck Lively II

OKC Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction

The Dallas Mavericks are slight favorites to win Monday’s preseason game against the Thunder. But all the injuries to Dallas’ frontcourt over the past two weeks could leave the team short-handed.

Our prediction: The Thunder to win

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

Know More

Mavericks Fan? Check out the latest Dallas Mavericks depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

Edited by Sameer Khan

OKC Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks Preseason Game Prediction and Preview | Oct. 6, 2025