NBA
The Thunder too strong for Doncic
The Thunder secured their first series win by decisively beating the Mavericks. Doncic’s concerns overshadowed the good impressions from the Dallas team.
The Mavericks have had a rough start to their latest game in the Western Conference. During their match in Oklahoma City, they failed to meet the necessary level of performance. This was in stark contrast to their previous victories over the Clippers. This single example suggests that the competition in the Western Conference is much more challenging.
They are facing the best team in their side of the bracket. This team holds a record achieved by a young team, and they managed to win all four games against the Pelicans. NBA fans are curious to see how OKC will perform, as they are like a melon that needs to be opened, but we expect it to be sweet. The team has shown great maturity despite their youth. They easily defeated the Mavs, slowly pulling away and breaking the game open with a clean three-pointer in the last quarter. The final score was 117-95; they have now taken the lead in the series.
As time passed, the Thunder team began to gain confidence and momentum. They successfully stopped the two most threatening plays the opposing team, led by Kidd, had developed. They ended the game with their signature combination of defensive moves, quick sprints, and accurate outside shots, which had been instrumental in getting them this far.
Two of the three finalists in the MVP competition faced off in a recent game. In the game, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists and managed to contain Luka Doncic, who had a poor shooting night (6 out of 19 total shots, 1 out of 8 three-point attempts). Doncic did not want to make excuses for his performance, but he revealed that he was playing with pain in his right knee, making it difficult to play at his best. The opposing team, coached by Daigneault, used a strategy of trapping and narrow defense, which worked to perfection, with Dort - one of the best perimeter defenders - leading the charge. Doncic still has to express himself fully in this new series.
The Thunder knew how to wait until they gave their all in attack. They went from Shai’s controlled starts, who fouled everyone who got in front of him, to provide more speed to the offense with counterattacks and finishes in less time. They have weapons in their arsenal to stand in conference finals that the Mavs do recognize in a short time: they stepped on them two years ago. But here, there is a change of order.
Doncic began the game with great determination despite the concerns expressed earlier. However, as time passed, his impact on the game diminished. He scored nine out of his team’s first eleven points and ended up with a total of 19 points. When Hardaway returned to the court, Green surprised everyone with his ability to hit the ball from outside during the first quarter. This highlights the importance of physicality and proficiency on both sides of the court in determining the game’s outcome.
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving both had difficulties with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s strong play. The weaknesses were being exposed, and the Canadian was making his way. Alexander was playing aggressively and accumulating fouls, so they stopped fouling him. An argument ensued to take control of the game.
The Oklahoma City Thunder came out of the locker room strong in the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks. They scored 2 out of 12 in the quarter, culminating with a triple by Kyrie. However, Daigneault made a tactical decision to open the field by taking out Joe, which paid off. Joe quickly hit a shot from the perimeter just 13 seconds later. The Thunder started duplicating their opponent’s performance with even better results. Joe made two more triples when Green appeared again. Shai, Dort, and Holmgren also joined the outside launch party. Holmgren had a tough test against a grown Gafford, a natural wall in the Dallas paint, but he scored despite the challenge.
Irving hit the ball on the last possession, leaving the deficit at ten at the end of the third period. However, it was almost impossible to think that a comeback was possible because the locals had clicked, and their rhythm was torturous. The Mavericks also fell into the same rhythm, and the Thunder took advantage of this by hitting 45% of their threes. Shai, an excellent leader, felt free to perform his function, making the difference apparent in the fourth period. Kidd called for peace with five minutes left, and the chapter was already closed.