Like the new kid at school who gets bullied by the older kids, sometimes the best advice a parent can give involves consequences — fight back and stand up for yourself, suspensions be damned. The Oklahoma City Thunder might need to apply that mindset against PJ Washington in their next matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Dallas Mavericks bounced back from a three-game losing streak, including a controversial loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night. OKC entered the game tied for the NBA's best record and had just beaten the other team with the top record by 20 points.

Predictions, picks and odds as the OKC Thunder faces the Dallas Mavericks on the road Friday. Plus, injury updates and news.

Kyrie Irving scored 25 points, Spencer Dinwiddie and P.J. Washington Jr. added 16 apiece and the Dallas Mavericks beat Oklahoma City 106-98 as Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed his first game of the season.

Kyrie Irving scored 25 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 106-98 home win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

Even without important pieces like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Dereck Lively II, both teams' role players simmered the beef between the ball clubs. The usually well-mannered Thunder were hit with multiple technical fouls. PJ Washington continued to poke the bear.

That decision forced the Thunder to stick close to the Mavericks' role players throughout the first quarter. Once Washington scored the first five points, Irving asserted himself and drained a 3-pointer before finishing at the basket with a finger roll to give the Mavericks an early 10-0 lead.

Kyrie Irving is in his second full season with the Dallas Mavericks after the 2023 trade with the Brooklyn Nets that brought him to Dallas. With the NBA trade deadline approaching, the anniversary of Irving being acquired by the Mavericks is also approaching.