The defending NBA champions just keep finding ways to win. The Oklahoma City Thunder improved to 4-0 after surviving a fourth-quarter scare from the Dallas Mavericks, earning a 101-94 road victory on Monday night behind Isaiah Hartenstein’s clutch performance and a team-wide commitment to trust and poise.

Oklahoma City led wire-to-wire, building a 22-point lead, but Dallas stormed back to pull within one late. That’s when Hartenstein delivered scoring the Thunder’s only two field goals in the final 8:28, including a game-sealing left-handed layup with 33 seconds remaining.

“We’ve been through a lot as a team,” Hartenstein said postgame. “We trust each other, and that’s what makes Shea so special he trusts us too. A lot of superstars might force it, but Shea finds that balance.”

Shai Gil

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