The Dallas Mavericks and OKC Thunder renewed their 2010s rivalry in the 2024 Playoffs. The results remain consistently in Dallas’ favor, picking up a road win at the Paycom Center 121-115 tonight. This was OKC’s eighth loss of the season, with three of these defeats coming against the Mavericks without star guard Luka Doncic.
The Mavericks were led by a standout Spencer Dinwiddie performance, scoring 28 points (11-14 FG) in the win. PJ Washington had one of the best games of his career with 22 points (6-16 FG), 19 rebounds, three steals, and two blocks while Kyrie Irving scored 24 points (8-17 FG). Olivier-Maxence Prosper had 14 points (4-6 FG) off the bench while Daniel Gafford had 12 points (5-6 FG) and five rebounds.
The Thundersaw Jalen Williams put up 33 points (11-19 FG), seven assists, and four steals. Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 31 points (12-25 FG) and seven assists himself. Jaylin Williams was the only other Thunder to reach double-figures, putting up 12 points (4-8 FG) and six rebounds.
Let’s analyze the major takeaways from this game.
Mavericks Are Thunder’s Kryptonite
The Thunder are being hailed as the best team in the NBA this season, led by an MVP candidate like Shai as they most likely retain the No. 1 seed in the West. They were the No. 1 seed last season as well, but these Mavericks shattered their Playoff dreams in just six games. The Thunder have been a class apart in the West all year, but the Mavericks continue to haunt them.
This was Dallas’ third win this season against OKC in four games, likely being the only West team who will defeat the Thunder in the season series. All three wins have come without Luka Doncic on the court, as he’s been absent for all wins with injuries but played in the one loss the Mavericks had to OKC in the NBA Cup.
It’s impossible to conclude how a Playoff matchup between these franchises would go due to injuries restricting either team from playing each other while fully healthy. But even when OKC without Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren find a way to demolish other opponents, the Mavericks always make them pay.
Dallas was without seven rotational players tonight. The likes of Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, and Dereck Lively II, among others, missed this game alongside Luka. The Mavs improved to 4-10 in their last 14 games, with two of those wins coming at the Thunder’s expense.
Tight Offensive Margins
This game was closely contested between the rival franchises. While there were only 10 lead changes in the game, the Mavericks managed to control a slim lead for most of the game. The biggest lead for the Mavs was 13 points at some point in the third quarter while OKC’s biggest lead was nine points in the second quarter. A few shots here and there for either side would’ve greatly altered the result.
The Mavericks shot efficiently across the board. They went 39-74 (52.7 FG%) from the field, 14-31 (45.2 3P%) from three, and 29-36 (80.6 FT%) from the free throw line. The Thunder weren’t far behind, going 42-88 (47.7 FG%) from the field, 15-37 from three (40.5 3P%), and 16-22 from the free throw line (72.7 FT%). The Mavericks dominated OKC on the boards, winning the battle 43-33 as the only major stat differentiator.
The Thunder continue to struggle against the Mavs because of their lack of size, especially with Hartenstein and Holmgren out. However, this matchup doesn’t usually lead to the Mavs’ centers shining. OKC’s style often makes them hard to play because of their lack of switchability. Nonetheless, the Mavericks’ versatile guards and forwards create enough of a difference to trouble OKC consistently.
PJ Washington Shines Against The Thunder
The x-factor in the Mavs-OKC matchup since last season has been PJ Washington. He averaged 17.7 points and 8.3 rebounds in six Playoff games against the Thunder and was crucial in helping the Mavs win that series while Luka Doncic was playing through injuries. With Luka absent this year, Washington has absolutely dominated the Thunder in every matchup they’ve had, especially on the rebounding front.
Washington is averaging 21.7 points and 14.3 rebounds this season against OKC. These are much-improved numbers compared to his overall regular-season production of 13.8 points and 8.1 rebounds. The lack of a big forward on OKC allows the 6’9″ Washington to dominate his matchups, whether it’s Jalen Williams, Aaron Wiggins, or any forward the OKC can throw at him.
They have a glaring roster flaw at the moment: no traditional power forward on the lineup. The 6’5″ Jalen Williams can’t be expected to consistently outperform his opponents in that spot. Even a returning Chet would likely struggle alongside Hartenstein because of PJ’s perimeter production, but Chet and Hart’s presence will reduce their rebounding output.
We don’t see many role-players consistently dominate the Thunder in matchups, but Washington is proving that he can swing the outcome of this rivalry on his own.
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