That’s it. It’s a wrap. Dallas Mavericks are headed to their second Western Conference finals within the past three postseasons after beating Oklahoma City Thunder in game six of the second round.
Game six was something special to watch. It was a classic, down-to-the-wire, nail-biter that left fans on the edge of their seats until the very last possession. There was only one lead change in the first half. Other than that, the Thunder had the lead for the majority of the first half and the entirety of the third quarter.
Midway through the third quarter, the Mavericks found themselves down by the Thunder’s biggest lead of 17 points. While a lead like that would strike fear into most teams, it didn’t even faze the Mavericks. That is because the Mavericks have trust and confidence in their ability as a team, but most of all, certain players step up in the second half like no others. And that is exactly what happened in the second half of game six.
Have No Fear Kyrie Irving Is Here
The Dallas Mavericks have nothing to fear when Kyrie Irving is here. The only problem is he is only present as a scorer in the second half. In the first half of games in the 2024 playoffs, Kyrie has scored a total of 72 points. In contrast, Kyrie has scored a total of 181 points in the second half of the playoffs. That means Kyrie scores 2.5 times more in the second half than the first half in the 2024 playoffs.
It is hard to pinpoint the cause of his increase in points during the second half. It could be that his focus is to take defensive pressure off other players and get the rest of the team going on offense during the first half. This can be problematic because the Mavericks can find themselves down and in need of a comeback. However, Kyrie can elevate his game and score for his team in the second half.
While Kyrie helped facilitate the Mavs comeback and win in the second half, it almost was not enough. Truly the game came down the the wire with four lead changes in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter. The game felt like it could have gone either way. However, the Mavericks were able to capitalize on the final moments of the game.
Also Read: Tom Thibodeau Still Facing Backlash After Game 6 Injury List Addition
Dallas Mavericks Look To Western Conference Finals
The Dallas Mavericks can relax after winning a difficult series vs the Thunder. Luka Doncic got pretty banged up over the series. He is expected to get much-needed rest as he prepares for his second appearance in the Western Conference Finals.
While this is Luka’s second appearance at the Western Conference Finals, this one is much different. He is coming off of an MVP-caliber season with a new set of teammates. One big factor is his teammate Kyrie Irving. Kyrie might be able to help lead Luka and other teammates due to his large amount of experience in conference finals.
The Mavericks will play the winner of the upcoming game seven between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves. Each team is a formidable opponent. However, the Mavs can look to capitalize on the fact that both potential opponents will be coming out of a long series.
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Hunter is a lifelong sports fan. His main interests are in professional tennis and NBA basketball, he is a fan of almost every sport. He is a creative/technical writer who also tutors people in English.
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