Oklahoma City Thunder 2023-24 Season

[Laramie]

SGA (34 pts) out scored both Doncic & Irving (27pts) in game 4. Credit Dort, he's wearing down Doncic, also the double-team on Irving shut him down. Wallace's play on Irving was also a big factor in the win.

JDub will be needed to double his output (scoring) in Game 5 as it is obvious that Dallas is confused by the pressure being applied by the Thunder.

Thunder won Game 4 winning the free throw battle: OKC 23-24 (95.8%) vs DAL 12-23 (52.2%) - difference 11 points.

We will need to up our game in OKC for Game 5 to go up 3-2; then finish the Mavs off in their own building in Game 6.

[Libbymin]

Yeah the Mavs poor free throw shooting and SGA knocking down all those mid range shots were key in keeping us in striking distance.

I like Cason more and more as I see him play. I know Giddey catches some deserved flak for some of the bad shots he takes, but he does make a difference in getting our ball movement going.

Also, I took a look at the Mavs Reddit, and even the vast majority of their fans were sick and tired of seeing Luka complaining to the refs after every play.

[PhiAlpha]

Yeah the Mavs poor free throw shooting and SGA knocking down all those mid range shots were key in keeping us in striking distance.

I like Cason more and more as I see him play. I know Giddey catches some deserved flak for some of the bad shots he takes, but he does make a difference in getting our ball movement going.

Also, I took a look at the Mavs Reddit, and even the vast majority of their fans were sick and tired of seeing Luka complaining to the refs after every play.

I know! I listened to one of their post game pods and they're saying the same things we are. "Dude...you're really good... JUST PLAY!"

[dankrutka]

100% to Cason moving to the starting lineup for Giddey. I think it would be good for both of them. But, I'm also okay with Giddey's minutes being down in favor of Cason, Wiggins, and Joe. I just think we need shooting to stretch out the defense so Gafford/Lively can't just camp out in the paint.

[G.Walker]

Even when we win, the Thunder still gets no love from the National media. The commentary and highlights from analysts are more "What's wrong with Dallas?" "Dallas is cooked" "Luka is not playing well". Instead of wow this Thunder team is actually good, smh.

And if we win the series, it will be more well Luka was hurt, not that the Thunder is actually a good team.

[PhiAlpha]

Even when we win, the Thunder still gets no love from the National media. The commentary and highlights from analysts are more "What's wrong with Dallas?" "Dallas is cooked" "Luka is not playing well". Instead of wow this Thunder team is actually good, smh.

And if we win the series, it will be more well Luka was hurt, not that the Thunder is actually a good team.

It's as simple as:

OKC (1,477,926) < DFW (8,100,000)

Keep winning and proving people wrong and no one will remember what a bunch of talking heads said.

[OKCRealtor]

Even when we win, the Thunder still gets no love from the National media. The commentary and highlights from analysts are more "What's wrong with Dallas?" "Dallas is cooked" "Luka is not playing well". Instead of wow this Thunder team is actually good, smh.

And if we win the series, it will be more well Luka was hurt, not that the Thunder is actually a good team.

This is true but Dallas has basically dominated us 11 of the last 12 quarters now and we haven't played particularly well. Really fortunate to pull off last night, if we get game 3 they'll flip the script again.

[OKCRealtor]

I had a longer reply typed out earlier and got one phone call and never came back today lol. In short though we were really fortunate to win that game, big time performance by SGA. I did the math earlier on last 3 games and if I remember correct (don't feel like looking it up again) we were 27/87 on 3's which is only a 31% clip. We're getting some very good looks and they just aren't making them the way they have all season. It could be mindset/pressure on the big stage or it may just be a cold streak and we light them up next game. Also agree with Giddey- I'm ok with some of his minutes coming early but we seem to be spotting them 10 points by starting him so what do we have to lose?

[Laramie]

The announcers last night obviously (IMO) seemed bias in favor of Dallas. When a Mav threw down a dunk, the explosion and excitement in their voices showed. So glad the team answered the challenge in the final four minutes.

Welcome to the Big Leagues . . .

THUNDER UP!

[kukblue1]

I have Project Stereo System. If any one has a big screen would the city stop me from setting up in the park for Saturday night

[Bellaboo]

I used to like Luka but when you watch him closely he's the biggest whiney b***h in the league. Every stop in play he's running to the refs complaining someone touched him..

I read a Mav fan forum comment board and a lot of those fans complain about him too, wanting him to shut up and play.

[Jake]

Shai’s teammates failed him tonight. Such a bummer.

[Laramie]

Dallas Mavericks 104 @ Oklahoma City Thunder 92



Box score https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401658192

Attendance: 18, 203

[Laramie]

Western Conference Semi Finals. Game 6
Saturday, May 18, 2024
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Dallas Mavericks
American Airlines Center, Dallas - 7:00 p.m.
TV - ESPN or ABC, RADIO - WWLS-The Sports Animal Oklahoma City (98.1 FM), Tulsa (97.1 FM)
Dallas lead series 3 - 2

[G.Walker]

It was a great run this year. But the Thunder season is over. They are still not ready. Cant shoot the ball poorly like that 2 games in a row, your gonna lose one of them. We got lucky in Game 4.

[Libbymin]

Unfortunately it feels like the Mavs have a game plan that is working quite well against us. They are clogging the paint and making it real hard to get the easy basket. Any time we would drive to the basket, we had nowhere to go or we would hesitate and keep dishing out the extra pass. We just seem unsure of ourselves offensively.

Defensively, we have been getting absolutely worked in the paint. I don’t know how many easy alley oops we’ve given up these last two games but it’s been way too many. Our lack of true center is really hurting us this series.

Lastly, our supporting cast has been subpar but to me, JW’s lack of confidence has been the most disappointing. It seems like he doesn’t wake up and attack the basket until the middle of the 4th quarter.

[retrospective]

On a positive note, TNT had an updated skyline shot in the first half; BancFirst tower was shown with the OKC animation, with Devon having the Thunder logo lit in the background. Looked as if it may have been a true live shot at the time, certainly a pretty recent clip if not.

[OKCRealtor]

Yikes. If not for a game 4 meltdown by the Mavs this would have gone 5.

Gonna need some Thunder magic but they've looked cooked the last 4 games now. Apparently we can't shoot in the playoffs. Still need time to develop & also still missing a piece or 2 probably.

[Laramie]

Yikes. If not for a game 4 meltdown by the Mavs this would have gone 5.

Gonna need some Thunder magic but they've looked cooked the last 4 games now. Apparently we can't shoot in the playoffs. Still need time to develop & also still missing a piece or 2 probably.

You correct IMO about needing a piece or 2. We need more height, Dallas getting second and third chances on some shots.

[OKCRealtor]

You correct IMO about needing a piece or 2. We need more height, Dallas getting second and third chances on some shots.

Yep, the Wolves would be a bad matchup and nobody has an answer for the Joker even if we were to pull this series out which seems highly improbable given how they've mostly dominated the series.

[jn1780]

Well maybe they can steal one more game from Dallas in their own house. It will be nice to have one more playoff game in the city.

[G.Walker]

SGA is consistent, the problem is, nobody else is. Besides game 1, neither Chet or JDubb are giving us anything. We need JDubb and Chet to step up have big games for us to win Saturday night.

[Libbymin]

SGA is consistent, the problem is, nobody else is. Besides game 1, neither Chet or JDubb are giving us anything. We need JDubb and Chet to step up have big games for us to win Saturday night.

I think that’s was most disappointing. It’s one thing to have our lack of center presence exposed. We kinda expected that to happen at some point in the playoffs. But we’re just flat out not shooting well at all and that just makes it frustrating to watch.

[kukblue1]

They were talking on the radio how they thought it was disappointing the crowded left early and didn't cheer the team cause it could of been the last home game of the year. Being there it never crossed my mind into I heard that, that it could of been last home game of the year. Still hard to think about.

[Urbanized]

The Thunder has not seen defense like this all year. I'm not saying the Mavs are the best defensive team they have faced, but they ARE playing with more defensive INTENSITY than anyone else has played. They are brutally interrupting the passing lanes and collapsing on shooters in a manner that has completely denied the Thunder's previously-excellent ball movement and shooting, both of which have been the hallmarks of this team. It is leaving Shai on an island. The Thunder desperately needs someone - ANYONE - else to get a hot hand, but it hasn't happened. Mostly because the aforementioned passing lane closures have caused them to be tentative, and open looks evaporate before they can get the ball away. It results in team play that looks far more like the old "hero ball" Thunder than this team has looked all season.

The other things that are killing them are Dallas getting to the rim easily (unreal number of lobs last night) and dudes being uncovered on the perimeter for threes. Probably a result of the Thunder aggressively collapsing on Luka and Irving, both of whom they have defended reasonably well, but at a cost.