The Dallas Mavericks fell 116-108 on Thursday night on their way to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the forerunner of the Thunder, who scored 32 points while winning six assists. Josh Richardson was the highlight for Dallas with 27.
The Mavericks, missing Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis due to rest or an apology, blew off the floor by a powerful group Oklahoma City. After trading baskets early, the Mavericks went cold off the field and the Thunder took advantage. Energy led to six offensive setbacks for Oklahoma City, which turned into second chances. At one point, the Thunder played a series of players who all had three years or less of experience, and they managed to extend the lead. The Thunder leads 35-19 after one frame.
In the second quarter, it looked like things could even be leveled, as the Thunder shot the ball really well in the first quarter. Unfortunately, the famous Dallas defense of recent games has remained in Dallas for much of the period. The Mavericks actually came to the forefront repeatedly, getting it at 11 and building momentum late in the quarter. But a faulty lead from Josh Richardson to a Thunder try, and Oklahoma City took over the right office. Dallas trailed 62-47.
Dallas started looking good again for the third time, taking the Thunder lead to eight. Then a series of turnover and poor defense led to Oklahoma City succeeding at will and rebuilding the lead to 21 points. Of course, the Mavericks rose from the dead again and reduced the lead to 10. Of course, Dallas lost those wins immediately because Trey Burke was on Gilgeous-Alexander, and Willie Cauley-Stein thought it was his turn to shoot a try, so the lead shot back to 17 within a minute. The Mavericks still reduced themselves by 15 points after the last quarter, 89-74
The last period, of course, was the chaotic fever dream we all needed to end the evening. The Mavericks took an incredible run in the final six minutes, ending the Thunder’s 19-point lead by one point. It included a coaching challenge from Dallas that included a major offense on Richardson and a lost challenge from Oklahoma City on a three-point offense from Tim Hardaway Jr. The Mavericks, however, were terrible from the free-throw line, and missed six in the quarter, and that eventually caught up with them as the Thunder found offense late in breaking the seal. After trying to make a mistake to catch up, the Mavericks eventually fell to Oklahoma City, 116-108.
Some thoughts:
The hubris of the Dallas Mavericks can never surprise
You need to understand that it is written before you listen to the moderator of the match before any of the narratives of the team are passed and reasoned away.
Make no mistake: the Mavericks think they are a much better team than their record currently shows. And maybe they are! Heck, I’m willing to give land here because it’s been a complicated season. But look ahead to the schedule. The Nuggets, two Clipper games and two Portland games. It was a mistake to try to get cute and get a win over a tough Thunder team. It was probably a mistake to let Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis rest. Between the All-Star game and the unplanned break due to the terrible winter weather in Texas, these Mavericks had plenty of time. Does anyone think the Thunder has a chance if Luka Doncic plays this game? Play your stars.
Rick Carlisle doubles
Not only was the organizational decision to put Doncic and Porzingis in doubt, the end result of a loss with a nine-man revolution with exactly two rookies minutes for Josh Green seems completely insane afterwards.
The role players might have to rest after playing serious minutes and losing to a Thunder group that were not tankers, if you get my chance.
This game was a double-digit game for most of the night, and although I understand that the Mavericks could work themselves back on it on the strength of the three-point shot, I could not understand how the rookies got no minutes. It was a scoring list of more than 15 points, and Carlisle continued Dwight Powell, James Johnson, Trey Burke and Willie Cauley-Stein. If there’s time for those rookies to get minutes, it’s a game like tonight when it looked like the Mavericks conceded the game by the end of the first quarter. Hell, they probably gave it up before the tip.
I understand Josh Green does not actually seem familiar with how to play basketball, and at this point I also feel pretty about him, so I understand Carlisle’s reluctance. But playing Green or Tyler Bey couldn’t be worse than what we’ve only seen for pieces.
Make your free throw
My previous two points might never have scored if veteran players in Dallas could hit their free throw. There were ten times in a game of eight points, including six in the fourth quarter. Nine of the ten also come from Jalen Brunson, Josh Richardson and Tim Hardaway Jr. Not great at all.