Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II received injury updates for the Mavericks' game on Monday against the Hornets.

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.

The Dallas Mavericks took another step toward securing a direct NBA playoff spot with a crucial victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Following the game, Kyrie Irving reflected on his transition from the Brooklyn Nets to Dallas Mavericks,