Thunder Drop Second Straight Game

It was less than a week ago that Oklahoma City was riding a 10-game winning streak, which included sweeping New Orleans in the first round. However, the vibes have changed in Oklahoma as the Thunder have lost their last two games, digging themselves into a 2-1 series hole against the Mavericks. So far, the Thunder have won game one (117-95) and lost the two subsequent games (119-110, 105-101). 

Oklahoma City was a 1.5-point road underdog in game three, so they failed to cover in the four-point loss. The 206 combined points came in comfortably under the pregame total of 217.5 points. Statistically, the two sides split the turnover battle (14 apiece) and shot an identical 33.3% from three-point range, and Oklahoma City was actually better in field goal percentage (46.9% to 42.9%). The Mavericks had the edge on the glass (48 to 41), especially in terms of offensive rebounds (15 to 6). 

Individually, it was none other than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way for OKC in game three, posting a double-double with 31 points and 10 rebounds. The star point guard has been the battery of this team in the postseason, paving the way in scoring (28.9 PPG), assists (6.1 APG), and steals (1.3 SPG).

Mavericks Hold On, Win Game Three

After a slow start to the series, the Mavericks have found their groove, rattling off two straight victories. Specifically, it was the star duo of Kyrie Irving (22 points in game three) and Luka Doncic (22 points) who played great, combining for 44 points in the victory. P.J. Washington was the leading scorer, dropping 27 points in the game. Washington’s on a heater right now, having scored 29 points in game two and 27 in game three. 

As for the postseason as a whole, the aforementioned Doncic has been the spark in the backcourt, paving the way in scoring (27.7 PPG), rebounding (9.3 RPG), and assists (8.7 APG). He’s nearly averaging a triple-double this postseason, and his 15 rebounds in game three gave him a double-double. Irving is scoring 23.3 points per contest while registering a team-leading 1.8 steals per night. 

With Dallas taking a 2-1 series lead, the futures market has shifted dramatically. The Mavericks are currently a -210 favorite to advance to the Western Conference Finals, while the Thunder are priced at +175. The Mavs are +270 to win the conference and +800 to win the NBA title, while the Thunder are +475 and +1200, respectively.