The Dallas Mavericks traveled south of the United States-Canada border to face the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center in the quarterfinal of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup. Entering Tuesday’s game, Dallas had a seven-game winning streak, while Oklahoma City won three straight games. Dallas and Oklahoma City searched for a win to secure a spot in the semifinal of the 2024 NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Mavericks previously played the Raptors at Scotiabank Area and won 125-118 on Saturday, December 7. Luka Doncic made NBA history with a triple-double of 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. Doncic’s second-straight triple-double — and 79th of his career — passed Wilt Chamberlain and James Harden for sole possession of seventh place on the NBA’s all-time list.
The Mavericks fell to the Thunder 118-104. Dallas fell to 16-9, while Oklahoma City improved to 19-5. Naji Marshall led the Mavericks with 19 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Klay Thompson followed with 19 points and four rebounds. Kyrie Irving added 17 points, two rebounds, and five assists. Luka Doncic had 16 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. Dereck Lively II scored five points, 12 rebounds, and five assists.
Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder Recap
The Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder game was action-packed from start to finish. The Mavericks ruled out Maxi Kleber, Dante Exum, Jaden Hardy, and Brandon Williams. PJ Washington was listed as questionable and made Naji Marshall available. The Thunder ruled out Chet Holmgren, Ousmane Dieng, Adam Flagler, Jaylin Williams, Nikola Topic, and Dillon James.
The Mavericks’ starting lineup featured Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Quentin Grimes, Klay Thompson, and Dereck Lively II. The first quarter saw the Thunder’s edge over the Mavericks, thanks to plays such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s jump shot. The Mavericks trailed 32-24 at the end of the first. The second quarter saw the Mavericks pick up the pace, with shots, such as Spencer Dinwiddie’s being on target. The Mavericks trailed 57-54 at halftime.
The third quarter saw the Thunder start fast, thanks to plays such as Luguentz Dort’s shimmy and shake. The Mavericks fell into a 90-73 deficit after three quarters. The fourth quarter saw the Thunder and Mavericks’ back-and-forth action, with the Thunder reaching the 100-point plateau shortly after the 10-minute mark. The Thunder maintained their lead en route to a 118-104 win in regulation.
Dallas Mavericks-Oklahoma City Thunder Highlights
The Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder game featured many highlights, such as Dereck Lively II’s shocking evolution that erased his biggest weakness. Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd’s decision to put Lively II in the team’s starting lineup has been right, as the team is 10-2 when Lively II is the starting center. Lively II improving his free throws has shown, thanks to his shooting 62.7% on 2.7 attempts per game this season.
For the Mavericks, their predicted acquisition is to acquire Bojan Bogdanovic, a forward for the Brooklyn Nets. If this trade happens, Dallas’ potential trade offer would be Maxi Kleber, Quentin Grimes, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, and a 2025 first-round pick to Brooklyn. But this trade’s downside would be that Bogdanovic is 35 years old, 6-foot-7, and a season removed from averaging 20.2 points in 28 with the Detroit Pistons.
For the Thunder, their predicted acquisition is to acquire an ideal power forward in a trade. If this trade happens, Oklahoma City would combine Kenrich Williams’ $6.6 million salary, a lower-end contract, and some draft capital. OKC’s usage of Williams as a wing has decreased from 22.8 minutes a game in 2022-23 to just 13.0 in 2024-25 due to younger, higher-impact players.
Final Thoughts
The Dallas Mavericks held on to defeat the Toronto Raptors 125-118 for their seventh straight win on Saturday, December 7. The Mavericks stared at a 5-7 record and sat in 10th place in a tough Western Conference just over three weeks ago. The Mavericks’ win over the Raptors allowed them to own the No. 2 seed in the West. However, Dallas’ downside was that they gave up too many three-pointers in downtown Toronto.
Still, the Mavericks have a better record over their last 12 games than any other NBA team. The Mavericks are an astonishing 11-1 in their previous 12 games. The Mavericks’ wins started after a disappointing four-game losing skid, and the Mavericks’ lone loss was an overtime 123-118 loss to the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on Sunday, November 24.
The Mavericks will return home to host the Los Angeles Clippers at the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Central. The Mavericks vs. Clippers matchup will be the first game of the Mavericks’ four-game homestand. The Clippers previously hosted the Houston Rockets in a one-game tilt at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, December 8, but fell 117-106 before traveling to Dallas.
