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Oklahoma City Thunder defeat Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of NBA playoff

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3 months ago

May 10, 2024

The Oklahoma City Thunder's Jalen Williams goes up for a basket as the Dallas Mavericks' Kyrie Irving (11) defends.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander produced 29 factors, 9 rebounds and 9 assists to steer the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder to a 117-95 win over the visiting Dallas Mavericks in Recreation 1 of their Western Convention semifinal sequence on Tuesday.

Gilgeous-Alexander shot 8 of 19 from the ground however 11 of 13 from the free-throw line in his first profession second-round playoff sport. The Thunder grew to become the youngest crew in NBA historical past to win a convention semifinal sport.

Kyrie Irving scored 19 factors and Luka Doncic completed with 19 factors and 9 assists for Dallas.

Lower than 5 minutes into the third quarter, the Mavericks minimize a 12-point Thunder result in one on Irving’s 3-pointer off a feed from Luka Doncic.

Oklahoma Metropolis outscored Dallas 51-30 the remainder of the way in which.

“I feel it is a muscle we have constructed at this level,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault stated of the poise his crew confirmed in responding when Dallas minimize his crew’s lead. “We have needed to endure a variety of these conditions throughout the course of the season. I feel a variety of it comes from respect in your opponent.”

The Thunder shortly answered Irving’s trey out of a timeout, with Isaiah Joe draining a 3-pointer to kickstart a 14-4 run over the subsequent three minutes.

Gilgeous-Alexander assisted on two of the Thunder’s 4 3-pointers throughout the run, then added the exclamation level on the stretch by sinking a 3-pointer from the highest of the important thing to ship the house crowd right into a frenzy.

Earlier than the sport, Doncic heaped reward on Oklahoma Metropolis’s Luguentz Dort, calling him one of many high perimeter defenders within the NBA.

Dort confirmed why throughout the important thing sequence, knocking the ball away from Doncic close to midcourt, diving to gather the ball earlier than shortly discovering a streaking Joe, who fed it as much as Jalen Williams for a dunk.

Dort helped the Thunder maintain Doncic to 6-of-19 taking pictures, together with 1-of-8 from past the arc.

“They’re an incredible crew, nice defensive crew, nice offensive crew, so it isn’t going to be simple in any respect,” Doncic stated. “We have to play superb basketball – targeted basketball – for 48 minutes.”