The top-seeded Oklahoma City have officially been eliminated
By Sam Quinn
& Colin Ward-Henninger
• 1 min read
The fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks are moving on to the Western Conference finals. Despite trailing throughout Game 6, the Mavericks stormed back to win, 117-116, and eliminate the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. It was a game filled with clutch baskets and top-tier defense, but it will be remembered for how it ended.
With the Thunder up, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was called for a shooting foul that was not perfectly clear. A coach's challenge supported the call on the floor, letting the Mavs shoot free throws for the win and leaving OKC with less than two seconds to respond. Controversy aside, it was an exciting game through and through as both teams stars lit up the scoreboard.
For Dallas, Luka Doncic dropped a triple-double with 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He was helped by Kyrie Irving's 22 points and Derrick Jones Jr.'s 22 points, including 4-of-6 from 3-point land. In total, the Mavericks shot 16-of-34 from 3, a 47% clip.
Gilgeous-Alexander put up a valiant effort for his Thunder squad, having scored 36 points, including 4-of-5 from 3. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren each contributed 22 and 21 points, respectively, but it ultimately wasn't enough. OKC lost the rebound battle 47-31 and shot at a 37% clip from 3.
Now, the Mavericks will look toward the winner of Game 7 between the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets and the defense oriented Minnesota Timberwolves.
Thunder vs. Mavericks: Game 6 score
Mavericks 117, Thunder 116
Here are the biggest takeaways from Game 6:
To challenge, or not to challenge?
The decision on whether or not to challenge is never easy. Jason Kidd blew through both of his challenges in the first half, and that cost him the ability to review a key out-of-bounds call late in the fourth that should have gone to Dallas. Mark Daigneault was a bit more conservative with his challenges, but in the closing seconds, he was faced with a nearly impossible choice. Leading by one, Gilgeous-Alexander was called for a foul on P.J. Washington's 3-pointer. Replay showed that he made contact with the ball. Under normal circ*mstances, that alone would warrant a challenge.
But these weren't normal circ*mstances. There were only 2.5 seconds left. The Thunder were down to their last timeout, and they'd already won one challenge earlier in the game. That meant that no matter what the result of their challenge was, they would have no way of advancing the ball for their own final shot if they'd needed to. Sure enough, they lost the challenge. Washington made the first two free throws and missed the last one on purpose. The Thunder didn't have time to create a realistic final shot.
What is more valuable in that moment, the chance to take points off of the board, or the assurance that you'll be able to create your own possible game-winner? There's not a right answer without hindsight. We now know Daigneault should have held off. In the moment, that's a much harder call to make. It's one that will sit with the Thunder for the entire offseason.
The Mavericks were just too big
Here is the final rebounding tally for the series:
Mavericks: 271
Thunder: 243
When this series was competitive, it was because the Thunder were finding ways to end possessions. When Dallas ran away with it, it was because of their second chances on offense. The key sequence of this game came with 4:23 remaining and Dallas down four. Irving missed a jumper, but Dereck Lively II rebounded it and was fouled. He made the first and missed the second, but this time, it was Washington who rebounded the miss. He proceeded to tie the game on a 3-pointer. Through offensive rebounding alone, Dallas turned a two-possession game into a tie without ever giving the Thunder possession.
It's easy to wonder what might have been when the Mavericks only had starting center Daniel Gafford in this series because the Thunder facilitated his acquisition. Even Lively made his way to Dallas through a trade with Oklahoma City, though in that case, the Thunder were trading up to land Cason Wallace. Oklahoma City had every opportunity to add the sort of size that might have helped in this series. They chose to use this playoff run as an opportunity to test its young roster. In many ways, it passed. The one major failure was on the boards. Now it's time for the Thunder to address that this offseason.
How much of this was just shooting variance?
Washington shot just 32% from 3-point range this season, a figure that dipped once he was traded to Dallas. Jones is a career 31.6% 3-point shooter. In this series, they combined to shoot 33-of-76, or 43.4%, on 3-pointers. That was the difference in an enormously tight series.
Was some of that schematic? Absolutely. The Thunder put two defenders on the ball whenever Doncic or Irving tried to play pick-and-roll. Their goal was to force Washington and Jones to make 3's. Both of them did it. Those were shots they largely haven't had available to them on other teams. It takes Doncic- and Irving-level shot-creators to get as open as they often were.
But the single biggest question facing the Mavericks as they enter the Western Conference Finals is whether or not those shots are sustainable. If they aren't, it's just hard to imagine them scoring enough to beat Denver or Minnesota unless Doncic or Irving goes nuclear. But the Mavericks seemed to have built their roster on the idea that having Doncic and Irving could make players like Washington and Jones viable. They signed Jones, a nearly All-Defense-caliber defensive wing, for the minimum because no other team could figure out how to get this much out of him on offense. They landed Washington for a single first-round pick because they figured he'd be better on their superior roster than he was on the lowly Hornets.
They've largely been right so far. They'll need to be right for two more series if they hope to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Updates
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FINAL: Mavericks 117, Thunder 116
The Mavericks have overcome a 17-point deficit to stun the Thunder, 117-116, and advance into the Western Conference Finals for the second time in three years. The game hinged on a single call in the closing seconds. With 2.5 seconds remaining, P.J. Washington attempted a 3-pointer that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contested. It was called a foul on the floor, and even though Gilgeous-Alexander made contact with the ball, it was ultimately called a foul on the challenge. The Thunder were out of timeouts, so they had no answer for an intentional Dallas miss on the last free throw. The No. 1 seeded Thunder will go home as Dallas advances.
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Dallas takes the lead!
Dereck Lively misses a free throw, but it works out for the Mavericks as an offensive rebound turns into a P.J. Washington triple. Oklahoma City fails to convert on the other end, and then Luka Doncic drills a mid-range jumper to give the Mavericks a 107-105 lead with 3:39 remaining.
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More foul trouble for the Thunder
Lu Dort and Chet Holmgren both have five fouls at this point. The Thunder had better hope they hold onto this lead, because they're a whistle or two away from going into a possible overtime severely shorthanded.
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Punch after punch after punch
What a game, folks. Every time it looks like the Thunder are ready to run away with it, Dallas responds. Jaylin Williams pushes the lead to five with a baseline dunk. Dereck Lively II responds with a three-point play. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander answers with what feels like his 2000th mid-range jumper of the series. These are two elite teams making shot after shot against stellar defenses. Enjoy it, folks. This is what playoff basketball is all about.
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Dallas cuts it to two
What was once a 16-point Thunder lead is now down to only two after that Kyrie Irving 3-pointer. We're nearly halfway through the third quarter and the Thunder have only 33 points in the second half. They could survive that if they were defending, but with Lu Dort on the bench with five fouls, the Mavericks are getting good looks consistently.
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How long can the Thunder survive with Dort on the bench?
Luka Doncic is either getting a clean look or passing into one every time down the floor because Lu Dort is out with five fouls. How long can the Thunder survive without their best defender?
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Oklahoma City leads by seven as we enter the fourth
If Dallas is going to win this series tonight, Oklahoma City is going to make them earn it. The Thunder lead by seven going into the fourth quarter. Lu Dort is on the bench with five fouls, though, so Luka Doncic will have a window of advantageous matchups for as long as that remains the case. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads all scorers with 28 going into the final frame, and given how inconsistent his supporting cast has been, he'll need to drag his teammates across the finish line.
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There's Lu Dort's fifth foul
Lu Dort just picked up his fifth foul for the second time. The first was overturned on a challenge. Now Dort is out of fouls the rest of the way. He's on the bench now, but is so important to Oklahoma City defensively that he won't be able to stay out for too long.
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Daniel Gafford is down
It looks like Daniel Gafford took a hard foul on that Lu Dort offensive rebound. He stayed down on the ground as the Mavericks went back on offense, so playing four-on-five, they needed to use a timeout. He's gone to the bench, but it's unclear if that's due to injury or just a typical sub.
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Biggest challenge of the night
Lu Dort just picked up his fifth foul on a charge in transition. Mark Daigneault immediately challenges. With the third quarter not even over yet, Oklahoma City would be in serious trouble defensively if Dort was suddenly out of fouls. Fortunately for the Thunder, the charge has been overturned. Dort is still at four fouls, and Dort goes to the line for two.
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Shai goes cold as Dallas gets hot
The Mavericks scoring 25 points so quickly is obviously the story of the second half thus far, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is also scoreless so far in the third quarter. One of the stories of this series has been how much his supporting cast has struggled. He needs to carry the Thunder across the finish line.
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J-Dub takeover
Jalen Williams carried the momentum from his half-court buzzer beater at the end of the first quarter into the rest of the game, as he's putting up one of his best performances of the playoffs. He's getting to the rim, knocking down 3s and setting up teammates. This is when the Thunder are at their best, when Williams is acting as the secondary playmaker and scorer to help out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
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HALFTIME: Thunder 64, Mavericks 48
With roughly five minutes to go in the second quarter, the Mavericks took their first lead of the game at 42-40. It has been all Thunder ever since, as Oklahoma City closed the half on a 24-6 run to take a 16-point lead, their biggest of the game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the way with 21 points, but the story of the game thus far has been the 11 turnovers the Mavericks have committed. Dallas has been one of the best ball-protection teams in the league all season, but nobody generates turnovers like the Thunder. They have finally found their defensive groove, and it's leading to offense on the other end.
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Unsuccessful challenge, and a big one
Not only did Dallas just lose the challenge on Luka Doncic's blocking foul, but because that was their second challenge, Dallas would have been out of challenges the rest of the way regardless of the decision.
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Two consecutive dumb Dort fouls
Lu Dort just picked up back-to-back fouls hitting Dereck Lively on screens. Just two really dumb fouls for Oklahoma City's best defender. They need him to stay out of foul trouble so he can continue to defend Luka Doncic physically. Those screen fouls on Lively are wastes.
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Foul trouble all around
Both P.J. Washington and Chet Holmgren have picked up three fouls and we're only 15.5 minutes into this game. Neither team can afford to be without their key player. Holmgren is Oklahoma City's only true big man. Washington is the best Dallas two-way wing. These are deep teams, but those are uniquely valuable players to each of their styles.
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The Thunder continue to play a deep rotation
The Thunder have used 10 men and we're not even halfway through the second quarter. The old Pat Riley axiom for playoff rotations is "use eight, play seven, trust six." Well, Mark Daigneault seems to have thrown that idea out the window. The Thunder have played a deep rotation all year. That's not changing now.
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There's the Luka we know
There's been a lot of press in this series about Luka Doncic complaining to officials early, and then calming down later on. Well, there's the Doncic we know. He gets called for a technical after an out-of-bounds call that he thought warranted a foul.
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Jalen Williams from half-court!
Well that's one way to end the first quarter! Jalen Williams just drilled a half-court shot at the first quarter buzzer to give the Thunder a 30-23 lead after 12 minutes. All things considered, that first frame went well for the Thunder. Not only do they hold the early lead, but they snuck in a few minutes of rest for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the process.
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Bathroom break for Luka
Quick note as to why Luka Doncic left the game: he needed to use the bathroom, as the broadcast confirms. Unusual in a playoff game, but hey, sometimes nature calls. He's checking back in now.
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Rotation changes early
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander surprisingly seems to have taken his first breather very early in the first quarter. It's unclear what caused this rotation change for the Thunder, but he typically doesn't rest the beginning of the second. The Mavericks, meanwhile, have gone to Jaden Hardy for the second consecutive game after he spent the early part of the postseason out of the rotation. That seems to be a move made with an eye on shot-creation, as the Thunder are doubling Luka Doncic off of screens.
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Bold challenge for Jason Kidd
Lu Dort just sank a 3-pointer and got a whistle for a possible four-point play in the process, but on replay, it looked like he may have kicked his foot out to draw that foul. Jason Kidd took a big risk by challenging less than three minutes into the game, and he gets a split decision. The challenge is technically successful, taking the foul off of the board, but it does not turn into an offensive foul on Dort, so the 3-pointer stands.
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Two quick fouls on P.J. Washington
Bad break for Dallas as P.J. Washington, their third-best player during this playoff run, picks up his second foul in less than three minutes. He's staying in the game, but he'll have to be careful. He's one of the few true two-way players on this roster.
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Isaiah Joe again starting for Josh Giddey
For the second consecutive game, Isaiah Joe will join Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Lu Dort in the Oklahoma City starting lineup instead of Josh Giddey. The numbers all show that Giddey should not be playing a major role in this series. His inability to shoot from deep is killing the Thunder offense, and Joe is one of the NBA's best shooters. Still, it's worth wondering if Cason Wallace, who has been closing games and defending Kyrie Irving, should be starting in Joe's place. While he doesn't provide quite as much on offense, his defense would make life easier for Williams, specifically, because it would take him off of Kyrie Irving.
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