Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks: 5 takeaways from Sport 4 – NBA.com

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stars within the 4th quarter and Dallas falters within the clutch as Oklahoma Metropolis takes Sport 4.
Michael C. Wright
OKC follows Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's lead and powers previous Dallas for a 100-96 win to forge a 2-2 collection tie.
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DALLAS — As Oklahoma Metropolis gathered, arms wrapped round each other for its group postgame interview after a 100-96 win, the Dallas Mavericks headed to the locker room seething.
The house crew walked the lengthy corridor at American Airways Heart figuring out it had simply squandered a primary alternative Monday to grab management of this Western Conference semifinal series.
To not discredit the heroics of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who produced his third-straight recreation with 30-plus factors to assist the Thunder even the collection 2-2 heading again to Oklahoma Metropolis for Sport 5.
However Dallas fell aside within the clutch like slow-cooked Texas brisket.
The Mavs shot 6 of 11 from the free-throw line within the fourth quarter, whereas OKC nailed all seven of their free throws in that very same span. After going 23-9 in clutch video games within the common season (video games which are inside 5 factors within the last 5 minutes), the Mavs are 2-2 in clutch video games the 2024 playoffs.
“It’s unacceptable,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd mentioned. “We will’t shoot 50% if we need to win.” 
Listed below are 5 takeaways from the matchup:
1. Gilgeous-Alexander magical down stretch
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 22 of his game-high 34 factors in the second half with out trying a single 3-pointer whereas dishing 5 assists and logging two steals and two blocks.
He’d end with eight rebounds and 5 assists.
The 25-year-old has now led the crew in scoring or tied for the membership’s excessive in scoring in all eight of OKC’s playoff video games. He additionally shot 4-for-7 in the 4th quarter because the Thunder closed on a 28-16 run.
OKC had trailed by eight factors with 8:04 remaining.
“There’s a steadiness to seek out. When to assault, when to cross, when to make the fitting play, when to not make the fitting play and belief your ability,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “It’s one thing I battle with so much. This involves taking what the protection offers you and trusting your teammates.”
Gilgeous-Alexander deadlocked the sport at 86 with a shot over the outstretched arms of Tim Hardaway Jr. with 4:02 left from practically behind the backboard.
“He took that factor by the horns there late,” OKC coach Mark Daigneault mentioned.
By the primary three quarters, Gilgeous-Alexander’s fellow starters — Jalen Williams, Luguentz Dort, Josh Giddey and Chet Holmgren — shot a mixed 10-for-34 from the sphere.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drops a game-high 34 factors on the Mavericks because the Thunder even their collection at 2-2.
2. P.J. Washington stays sizzling
Name it the puzzle of the collection for Daigneault. On one hand, he might play the chances based mostly on a 73-game pattern dimension of P.J. Washington from the common season. Or OKC might function in a extra reactionary trend to sluggish Washington after what’s transpired these final three video games.
Washington led Dallas with a team-high 21 factors in Game 4. The issue for Dallas was Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving didn’t contribute the 40 factors they’d mixed to common over the primary three video games of this collection.
Daigneault cautioned towards overreacting to Washington. However to disregard his influence would even be “tone deaf,” the coach admitted.
“You’ll be able to’t take a look at the field rating and say we’ve got to utterly change what we’re doing,” Daigneault mentioned. “Are we gonna make alterations for the truth that he’s taking part in very nicely? Completely.”
Anticipating the Thunder would possibly alter to stem the tide, Washington maintained the aggression he flexed his earlier two outings, ending the primary half as Dallas’ second-leading scorer (11 factors) behind Doncic (12).
Washington was 3-for-7 from 3-point range within the first half.
Doncic and Irving saved sling-shotting the passes his manner. The ahead notched his third-straight postseason recreation with 5 3s or extra and 30-plus factors, tying Doncic (2021) for the longest such streak in Dallas postseason historical past.
3. OKC’s taking pictures woes proceed
Dallas’ switching protection continues to wreak havoc on Oklahoma Metropolis’s offense, and we’re seeing it play out on the 3-point line.
Sure, the Thunder bounced again from a 1-of-11 efficiency within the first half to make 37.5% of its 3s in second half. However the guests capitalized on some assist from Dallas, which misfired on 11 of 13 from vary after Washington splashed a 3 with 11:10 left within the third to place the Mavericks forward by 14 factors.
“We’re getting switched so much,” Daigneault mentioned. “[Dallas has] gotten right into a rhythm defensively with their recreation plan. We’ve been capable of get cracks at some simple stuff. However we’re not getting adequate photographs each time right down to maintain offense towards that plan.”
OKC related on 40% of its 3-pointers over the primary 5 video games of the playoffs, however that quantity has slipped to 31% over its final three outings.
The Mavs bailed out the Thunder on the free-throw line in Sport 4.
Regardless of taking pictures eight extra free throws than the guests within the second half, the Mavericks misplaced the battle on the free-throw line, 11-9, over that span. General, Dallas shot simply 52.2% on free throws, its third-worst efficiency from the stripe this season.
4. Mavericks throw a block get together
By the point the buzzer sounded to finish the third quarter, Dallas had already logged a whopping 12 blocks with three gamers (Dereck Energetic II, Daniel Gafford and Derrick Jones Jr.) tallying at the very least three apiece.
The Mavericks would end with 13 blocks, led by Jones and Energetic (4 apiece) and Gafford (three).
In all, 5 Dallas gamers registered at the very least one block. The 13 blocks rank as probably the most in a playoff recreation this season, and probably the most by the Mavericks of their postseason historical past.
Dallas’ bodily presence inside explains how OKC shot 14 of 41 from the paint for 28 factors on the night time. The Mavs outscored the guests within the paint by 12 factors. OKC’s 28 factors within the paint symbolize a brand new season low for the Thunder.
Sport 4 additionally marked the sixth time the Mavericks restricted an opponent to 101 factors or fewer in these playoffs. Dallas was 15-0 within the common season and postseason when it restricted groups to 101 factors or fewer.
Now, the Mavs are 15-1 in these situations.
5. Doncic, Irving wrestle
Doncic reeled off his fifth profession postseason triple-double with 18 factors, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. However the miscues overshadowed the productiveness.
The Mavericks’ star backcourt duo combined to shoot 3-for-10 within the last body.
Doncic completed 6 of 20 from the sphere and dedicated seven turnovers — half of the crew’s whole — as OKC scored 19 factors off Mavericks giveaways. Doncic cut up a pair of free throws with 10.1 seconds left that will have tied the sport at 96.
Irving, in the meantime, contributed fewer than 10 factors for the second time in his final three outings. The 32-year-old contributed 9 assists towards the Thunder.
Irving’s high help totals this postseason have come within the final three video games. Dallas was 17-2 this season when Irving completed with seven assists or extra earlier than Sport 4.
“I really feel like we performed nicely sufficient to get the W tonight, majority of the sport,” Irving mentioned.  “However we simply didn’t end the job. The little issues matter; free throws, offensive rebounds, these 50-50 basketballs we noticed after they beat us in OKC.”
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Michael C. Wright is a senior author for NBA.com. You’ll be able to e-mail him here, discover his archive here and comply with him on X.
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