Aussie duo’s NBA title dream alive, OKC’s dashed as Thunder face big Giddey call after heartbreak

The Dallas Mavericks are via to the Western Conference Finals for the second time in three seasons after eliminating the Oklahoma City Thunder following an epic Game 6 victory.

The Mavericks had been made to struggle to the ultimate second, with a pair of clutch free throws from P.J. Washington — one of many group’s key commerce deadline acquisitions — seeing Dallas residence 117-116.

It was heartbreak for the Thunder, the youngest group in NBA historical past to win an NBA playoffs collection, and could possibly be Josh Giddey’s ultimate sport in Oklahoma City colors because the group faces a vital name within the offseason on the Australian guard.

Giddey, who began off the bench for the primary time in his profession within the ultimate two video games of the collection, will turn out to be extension eligible this summer time.

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Oklahoma City’s loss means Dallas will face both Denver or Minnesota subsequent spherical, with Australian duo Josh Green and Dante Exum nonetheless within the NBA playoffs race.

Exum although as soon as once more didn’t see any enjoying time on Sunday whereas Green had six factors, one steal, an help and two rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench.

The Thunder made a quick begin to Game 6 and had been in a position to generate fastbreak alternatives with their disruptive defence, with Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams doubling Luka Doncic and forcing him right into a turnover.

That become a Williams dunk on the opposite finish, with energetic arms from Lu Dort sparking one other turnover that later led to his first 3-pointer of the evening and an early 13-4 OKC lead.

It was nearly as good a begin because the Thunder may have requested for on the highway, though it didn’t take lengthy for Doncic to warmth up with two fast deep 3-pointers as Dallas closed the hole.

Oklahoma City’s offence, in the meantime, was beginning to settle down because the Thunder, having shot 6-for-6 from the sphere to begin the sport, then went 2-for-9.

Green and Giddey each began off the bench and noticed loads of one another early within the opening quarter, with Green looking the man Australian and having success off the dribble, first scoring over him after which later drawing a foul.

The Mavericks seemed to be closing the quarter with momentum as Jaden Hardy attacked Holmgren to earn the and-1, just for Williams to place an exclamation mark on the interval for OKC with a deep buzzer beater.

That put the Thunder 30-23 forward after a primary quarter which noticed the Mavericks flip the ball over six instances, with Oklahoma City scoring 11 factors off these turnovers.

Irving made it seven turnovers early within the second quarter as he was pressured right into a poor cross by rookie Cason Wallace, who has been a defensive revelation in his post-season debut.

Later within the quarter, two straight Giddey offensive rebounds gifted the Thunder successive possessions however they had been unable to capitalise on both, with the Mavericks as an alternative scoring two fast discipline objectives to immediate OKC coach Mark Daigneault to name a timeout.

Oklahoma City nonetheless had a 38-32 lead at that time, with over seven minutes left within the quarter.

The timeout did little to cease the Thunder from lacking open seems to be whereas Doncic threaded the needle with three defenders round him, discovering Derrick Jones Jr. for an emphatic dunk.

Green then drained a 3-pointer to cap off a 10-0 Mavericks run that trimmed the Thunder’s result in 38-37.

A Doncic 3-pointer shortly after gave Dallas a 42-40 lead as Oklahoma City’s offence continued to splutter, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the one Thunder participant to make a discipline aim within the first eight minutes of the quarter.

That was till Gilgeous-Alexander discovered Holmgren for a dunk that sparked a 12-2 Thunder run within the area of two-and-a-half minutes, though it was Dallas turnovers that actually acquired the OKC offence going.

First it was a nasty cross from Irving that ended with an Isaiah Joe dunk whereas a Daniel Gafford turnover quickly after then noticed Joe get to his spot and drain a 3-pointer.

The Thunder led 53-44 at that stage and pushed additional forward to take a 64-48 halftime lead — their largest of the sport — on the again of their defensive power and depth to finish the interval.

Dallas dedicated one other six turnovers within the second quarter, with Oklahoma City once more making the Mavs pay with 12 factors off these turnovers.

Unlike Game 5, the place they shot 10-for-40 from 3-point vary, the Thunder’s outdoors taking pictures was additionally much-improved as they matched that determine (10-for-24) within the first half alone.

All 5 starters made a 3-pointer within the first half, with Gilgeous-Alexander (21 factors) the main scorer for OKC whereas Doncic had 15 factors for Dallas.

Running mate Irving was struggling once more to get something going, recording simply 4 factors within the first half, having averaged solely 14.4 throughout the collection heading into Game 6.

For nearly as good as he had seemed in numerous phases this collection, Wallace’s inexperienced confirmed up in a tough 90-second stretch within the third quarter as back-to-back turnovers from the rookie and a defensive breakdown from the Thunder noticed Dallas go on a 9-0 run.

That prolonged out to a 13-0 run as Oklahoma City continued to battle making photographs, ultimately stopping the run with a Williams technical free throw.

Still, OKC’s lead was solely 78-73 at that time and whereas all the pieces gave the impression to be going towards the Thunder, that they had one massive win as Daigneault efficiently challenged what would have been a fifth foul towards Dort.

Gilgeous-Alexander took over late within the quarter with seven factors in lower than a minute to place OKC forward 88-77, with a late Jones Jr. 3-pointer seeing Dallas shut the hole to 90-83 getting into the ultimate quarter.

That buffer rapidly evaporated early within the fourth as a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer from Irving decreased the Thunder’s result in 97-95 with simply over seven minutes left in regulation.

P.J. Washington then drained a nook 3-pointer — his first bucket of the sport — to tie the sport at 105-all earlier than a Doncic fadeaway put the Mavs forward 107-105.

It was the primary time Dallas had been in entrance since main 42-41 with 4 minutes left within the second quarter.

It was a short-lived lead because the Mavs doubled Gilgeous-Alexander, leaving Williams open to knock down an uncontested 3-pointer, though Irving answered again with a 3 of his personal.

A Gilgeous-Alexander bucket then tied the sport as soon as extra earlier than one other clutch Washington 3-pointer and Jones Jr. fadeaway jumper put the Mavs forward 115-110.

Just because the Thunder seemed to be on the brink, their important man got here up massive as soon as once more as Gilgeous-Alexander drained a fast deep 3-pointer in response.

That decreased Dallas’ result in 115-113 getting into the ultimate 30 seconds earlier than a foul and subsequent Gilgeous-Alexander free throw, together with a Holmgren dunk, put OKC forward 116-115.

But Dallas had the final say as Gilgeous-Alexander despatched Washington to the free throw line with a foul on a 3-point try and a couple of.1 seconds left on the clock.

Washington made two of three free throws and with no timeouts left, Williams tried a prayer 3-point try that got here up brief as Oklahoma City was knocked out.

Washington really was the one Dallas starter to not end in double figures with 9 factors whereas Doncic (29 factors) topped the scoring for the Mavs alongside 22 from each Irving and Jones Jr.

Rookie massive man Dereck Lively II, in the meantime, was large off the bench with 12 factors and 15 rebounds.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the way in which for the Thunder with 36 factors in defeat whereas all 5 of Oklahoma City’s starters completed on double figures, together with 22 and 21 from Williams and Holmgren respectively.