The Oklahoma City Thunder had their greatest season since Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were on the team but tonight they were eliminated from the playoffs. While they were a strong team, they were up against an equally strong Dallas Mavericks team with two superstars in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
The Thunder won the first game of this series and then it was tied 2-2. The Mavericks went on to win the final two games to advance to the Western Conference Finals and will play either the Denver Nuggets or the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite the tough ending to their season, this young Thunder team will be back.
A Huge Blown Lead By The Oklahoma City Thunder
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The Oklahoma City Thunder lost 117-116 in Dallas on Saturday Night. The team blew a 17-point lead. This statistic indicates that no lead is completely safe in the NBA. If a team does not play well for all 48 minutes, they could have the game taken from them. While the Thunder shot 47.8 percent from the field in the fourth quarter, they made just 30 percent of their three-pointers (3/10). The fourth quarter was close throughout. The lead was no larger than eight, which was held by the Thunder.
On the other side, the Dallas Mavericks converted 48 percent of their shots in the fourth quarter and made half of their threes. While the Thunder did not play badly, the Mavs played better and were able to get themselves back into the game.
Critical Foul By SGA In Final Moments
This foul by SGA with the season on the line 😳 pic.twitter.com/jHcCHaTkom
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) May 19, 2024
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fouled Mavericks guard PJ Washington on a three-point attempt with 2.1 seconds to go in the game. It was a controversial call that was challenged by Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. He thought Gilgeous-Alexander got all ball in his block attempt on Washington.
Additionally, by rule, if a defender makes contact with the ball before hitting any other part of another player’s body, it is not considered a foul. While this was true in this play, there was a foul that occurred before the shot attempt by Washington as SGA made contact with his shoulder. Given that the team was in the bonus, the Mavericks went to the free-throw line. PJ Washington made two of three free throws to put Dallas up by one.
Because coach Daigneault used his challenge on the foul by SGA, the Oklahoma City Thunder did not have timeouts left to advance the ball to halfcourt. On the third free throw, Washington intentionally missed it so that the Thunder had less time to put a shot up. Jalen Williams heaved a 3/4 court shot and missed. That is how the Oklahoma City Thunder’s season ended, in brutal fashion. They were close, but no cigar.
Shai Gilgeous Alexander had 36 points, eight assists, three rebounds, and two blocks in the loss. Jalen Williams added 22 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, and two steals. Chet Holmgren contributed 21 points, three rebounds, and two blocks in their season finale.
Give Props To This Young, Exciting Team
Can’t say enough about how proud I am of this team
Youngest team to get a one seed
Youngest team to win a playoff seriesFought like hell at every moment possible to keep this season alive
My favorite Thunder team ever and this is only the beginning for this group
Thunder up pic.twitter.com/g0siUFS8az
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) May 19, 2024
The Oklahoma City Thunder should not hang their heads after this loss. They had a great season. They were the number one seed in the West with their two best players being 25 and 22 years old.
25-year-old Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a legitimate MVP contender. He averaged an incredible 30.1 points per game this season, along with 6.2 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and an amazing field goal percentage of 53.5. 2022 second-overall pick Chet Holmgren averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game this season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder were in the top 10 in multiple statistical categories this season. The team was third in field goal percentage at 49.9. They were first in three-point percentage at 38.9 and third in points per game at 120.1.
This team has a lot to be proud of, and with such a young roster, they’re not going anywhere. There’s no shame in losing to Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, a team that has gone to the Western Conference Finals in two of the last three seasons.
Congrats to the Oklahoma City Thunder on a remarkable 2023-2024 season!
About The Author
Cooper Sherman is an avid NFL fan and enjoys watching and covering it the most. The NFL is king. He previously wrote and was a podcaster for the online publications Pro Sports Fanatics and Jersey Column. He is also an NBA fan and watches it occasionally, more when the NFL season ends. Tennis is also an underrated sport to watch. His teams are the Patriots and Celtics, as tough as it is to be a Patriots fan right now. He is optimistic that Jerod Mayo will turn this team in the right direction! Follow him on Instagram and Threads @coopstershermy456, and X/Twitter @justcoopthings.
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