Here are five thoughts from the Mavericks’ 105-101 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday at American Airlines Center in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals:
The P.J. Washington game, Part II
The Mavericks usually need one player outside of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to provide an additional scoring lift. P.J. Washington served as that player for the second consecutive game, scoring 27 points on Saturday.
He didn’t have the barrage of seven 3-pointers that resulted in a playoff career high of 29 points Thursday, but Washington’s aggressiveness was apparent from the Mavericks’ first possession. He caught a pass from Kyrie Irving inside the paint and rose over Chet Holmgren for a posterizing dunk to open scoring for both teams.
Washington remained involved throughout the first half, with most of his points coming on floaters or corner 3s. The hometown hero did his job on both ends of the floor, which ultimately helped Dallas gain control of the series.
Irving comes alive in second half, again
Irving’s offense has been like an oven-cooked meal during these playoffs. His scoring has taken a little bit of time to get going, but it remains hot once it’s ready. He scored 14 of his 22 points in the second half, saving his best for last.
Irving scored on three consecutive possessions to put Dallas in a position to close the game. His points came on an array of floaters and 3-pointers after he spent the first half getting his teammates involved. Irving’s assertiveness causes defenses to send multiple bodies at him, which creates more opportunities for his teammates. He had seven assists to follow an 11-assist performance in Game 2. Irving put the icing on the cake with a left-handed runner to give the Mavs a five-point lead with 39 seconds left.
The feel-out approach appears to work, for now. As long as it results in wins, that’s all that should matter for Dallas.
Doncic battles, again
Doncic was initially listed as questionable for Saturday’s game due to a combination of his lingering right knee sprain and left ankle soreness. He indeed played, and despite an efficient shooting night, he was active on both sides of the ball. He finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds, 12 of which were collected in through the first three quarters.
Doncic avoided the 3-point line as much as he could and attacked the basket, which could be attributed to the pain he’s feeling in both legs. With 1:32 left in the game, Doncic and Lu Dort went for a 50-50 ball and Doncic came down on his back. He was slow to get up, but he won the jump ball, another sign of resilience as he plays through multiple injuries.
Luka Doncic clearly was laboring after the game. I asked him during the postgame presser what was hurting as he walked off: “Everything,” he said. “I’m just battling out there.” pic.twitter.com/Fh94yc2ECf
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) May 11, 2024
Lively’s rollercoaster
Dereck Lively II struggled to finish at the basket, yet again for the Mavericks, but he was pivotal at the free throw line when his team needed it most. He converted on eight of his 12 attempts from the stripe (5-of-8 in the fourth quarter), debunking OKC’s theory to play “Hack a Shaq.”
Lively picked up two early fouls in the first quarter, missed a few lobs and couldn’t make any of his three attempts during his first stint of action. His first basket of the game came at the 6:23 mark of the second quarter when he received a pass from Irving with a straight lane to the rim for an explosive dunk, which caused a timeout by the Thunder.
He settled in thereafter and punctuated the effort by finishing a lob from Tim Hardaway Jr. with eight minutes left to give the Mavs a seven-point lead. Defensively, he was solid with switching, especially when defending Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Lively’s poise at the line was promising, especially for a 20-year-old. The Mavericks’ rookie center is learning how intense the playoffs are in real time, and he’s responding in pressure situations, which should bode well for his development.
Kidd on OKC’s hack-a-Lively strategy: Credits Lively as well as a confidence boost from Irving during a timeout. pic.twitter.com/YpsHtOtpVo
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) May 11, 2024
Injuries
Game 3 was a physical matchup, which resulted in a player from both sides needing a trip to the locker room. Daniel Gafford, who’s battled various injuries during the postseason, went to the locker room in the second quarter after suffering an apparent left shoulder injury. He returned to start the third quarter and appeared fine. He finished with eight points, five rebounds and three assists.
OKC forward Jalen Williams tweaked his left ankle in the third quarter and remained on the court for an extended period of time. He eventually returned to the game in the fourth quarter. Irving also had a minor stinger in his left hand, which he shook off to help the Mavericks close the game.
