Kyrie Irving — an expert in rivalries — agreed that the Thunder and Mavericks have become arch-nemesis. “It’s personal. I think it’s the start of a healthy rivalry," Irving said. "... We’re gonna be seeing them a lot over the next few years so it’s good that you set the precedent now what it’s gonna be like.

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 returned from injury on Friday night and led the Dallas Mavericks to a big 106-98 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Irving scored 25 points and added five rebounds and five assists in a quality effort despite still dealing with a lumbar back sprain.

TL;DR: Live stream Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks in the NBA with FuboTV, Sling TV, or YouTube TV. The Oklahoma City Thunder head to American Airlines Center to face the Dallas Mavericks in a Western Conference matchup. The Thunder are 34-6, which puts them in first place. The Mavericks are 22-19, which puts them in eighth place.

Only one more quarter stands between the Thunder and the win they were favored to collect coming into this evening. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead the Cavaliers 75-49. The Thunder entered the game having won three straight and they're just one quarter away from another.

After a historic meeting last week, the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers clash with the Oklahoma City Thunder again today – Thursday, Jan. 16 – at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The game is available to watch on multiple streaming services.