If you observed closely the Dallas Mavericks’ last semi-final playoff game against Oklahoma City Thunder, you would notice that the Mavericks weren’t supposed to lose in Game 4. This is because the Mavericks did everything right in their previous game, however, OKC ambushed them from the back with their superhero Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Oklahoma City Thunder’s strategy in Game 4 helped the team add momentum and proved that little things matter. However, did this strategy work for OKC? Yes, it did! Thus, what happened in Game 5, and what would Game 6 look like?
Dallas Mavericks Vs. Oklahoma City Thunder May 16, 2024, Game 5 Recap
It seems the Dallas Mavericks worked on their previous game mistakes, especially the free-throw shots. As mentioned earlier, the Mavericks did everything right to dominate their fourth game against OKC, yet they fell apart because they ignored the little details.
Also, in Game 4, the Oklahoma City Thunder could silence Kyrie Irving and defend Luka Doncic, who bagged an average triple-double performance. However, Game 5 was a different ball game.
In Game 5 of the Mavericks’ playoff series, they focused more on their center, Dereck Lively II, and forward, Derrick Jones Jr., by dishing them the ball to make the dunks and alley-oops. Also, offensively, the Mavericks circulated the ball more often than not to reduce the pressure on their lethal weapons.
The Luka Doncic’s Magic
Early in the first quarter of the first half, Kyrie Irving set up the stage for Dallas’ dominance by putting the Mavericks close to taking the lead with a left stroke four minutes after the Jump Ball. Following Kyrie’s lead, Luka Doncic maintained the momentum of the game by shooting a three-pointer to keep the Maverick in the lead.
During the first half of Game 5, the Mavericks took advantage of their defensive rebounds and converted them to 3 pointers, dunks, and alley-oops. Also, they used their center and forward like knights on a chess board to penetrate Oklahoma City Thunder offensively.
At the end of the first half, Luka Doncic got 17 points, six rebounds, and seven assists, beating Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance with 7 points, two rebounds, and four assists. Also, Luka fired up his game in the second quarter by carding 9 points, 3 rebounds, and four assists, which helped the Mavericks lead the first half with 54 points and a 10-point margin against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Dallas Mavericks’ Dominates with Luka Doncic’s Triple-Double
The second half of the game began with the Mavericks on top of the food chain, preying on OKC’s weaknesses and taking advantage of crucial opportunities in the game.
Instead, the Dallas Mavericks maintained their lead and game dominance from the first to the last quarter of the game, facilitating easy ball movements, offensive advantage, and converting vital turnovers and rebounds.
At the end of Game 5, Dallas Mavericks led the series, and Luka Doncic performed the Luka Magic on Oklahoma City Thunder with an impressive triple-double: 31 points, ten rebounds, and 11 assists.
Final score: Dallas Mavericks clinch series 3-2 after winning Oklahoma City Thunder at their home with 104-92.
Key Takeaways From Dallas Mavericks’ Game 5 And What To Expect In Game 6
Some key notices to observe from Dallas Mavericks’ Game 5
- The Mavericks converted most of their rebounds and turnovers to points that kept them ahead in the game
- Kyrie Irving has been silent offensively yet complemented the Mavericks’ defense efforts more.
- The Mavericks took advantage of OKC’s slow start strategy in game four and made it difficult for them to create the snowball effect
- Dallas Mavericks scored 76.9% from the line, which is better than Game 4’s 52.2%
So what next for the Mavericks and OKC in Game 6?
Oklahoma City Thunder could take more advantage of the Dallas Mavericks turnovers and convert them to points because Dallas does have more turnovers than them.
Also, OKC could be more aggressive in the first half as that’s the advantage the Mavericks have over them. Finally, since the Mavericks move the ball around and swiftly, it’d be difficult to guard them offensively, therefore OKC players could target getting and converting more steals.
About the Author
Wisdom is an email and brand copywriter with two years of content writing experience. He started Cloud Kitchen Concept to help startups and business owners elevate their brands from good to great. You can connect with him on LinkedIn and Instagram to enjoy cooked meals for your business’s growth.
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