Category: NBA Playoffs

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander takes responsibility for season-ending foul

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander takes responsibility for season-ending foul.

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s season-ending loss to the Dallas Mavericks featured a critical mistake by their MVP finalist in the final moments.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander committed a costly shooting foul on P.J. Washington’s corner 3-point attempt. The mistake followed Chet Holmgren’s alley-oop on the previous possession that gave the Thunder a 116-115 lead with 20 seconds left.

OKC failed to make the stop in the final seconds, and Washington converted the first two attempts to give the Mavericks the one-point lead. He intentionally missed the last attempt, which forced a last-second heave by Jalen Williams that missed at the buzzer.

The costly miscue gifted Dallas a chance to win Game 6 at the free-throw line. Gilgeous-Alexander, who was the best player in the series, took full responsibility.

“It sucks,” Gilgeous-Alexander said on the finish. “You wish you could take the moment back, but it’s not the way life works. You can’t. You have to sit and learn from it and I will definitely learn from it.”

The 25-year-old finished with 36 points on 14-of-25 shooting, eight assists and three rebounds. He spoke about how he couldn’t see the replay due to the raw emotions he felt in the immediate aftermath.

“I shouldn’t have fouled him,” Gilgeous-Alexander said on the late foul. “We talked about it all year the little things that go into winning games. … It sucks. Obviously, if I had the moment back, I wouldn’t have fouled him. Just let him make or miss the shot.”

It was a heartbreaking finish, but the Thunder concluded the first of likely several playoff runs with this group.

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Kyrie Irving expects Thunder’s best shot in Game 6 as they face elimination

Kyrie Irving expects Thunder’s best shot in Game 6 as they face elimination.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will face elimination for the first time this season in Game 6 against the Dallas Mavericks. OKC trails the second round series, 3-2, after a Game 5 loss.

Heading into the contest, the Mavericks have experience on their side. Luka Doncic has had plenty of postseason experience during his time in the league. Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving is 13-0 in closeout games in the playoffs.

Ahead of Game 6, Irving said he expects the Thunder to come out swinging as they’ll be desperate to avoid seeing their season end.

“Their best shot. More than desperation,” Irving said. “We know this is their last chance to save their season.”

Regardless of how this series plays out, the 32-year-old is impressed with what the Thunder have built over the last few years, saying this is likely the first of several playoff runs with this core.

“They’re a great young core and they’re gonna be a team that’s gonna challenge us for the next few years,” Irving said.

The Thunder will need break-out performances from Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to force a Game 7. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been the best player in this series, and he has done more than enough to put the Thunder in the driver’s seat but hasn’t received enough help.

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Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren must step up in Game 6 for Thunder to stay alive

Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren must step up in Game 6 for Thunder to stay alive.

Through five games, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been the best player in the second-round series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks.

The 25-year-old has outdueled fellow MVP finalist Luka Doncic. Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 31.4 points on 49.6% shooting, nine rebounds and 7.2 assists.

The Mavericks have done an excellent job at mucking up the interior, which has forced the drive-heavy scorer to utilize his pull-up game instead. The midrange machine has been potent with his jumper.

Entering his first playoffs as the undisputed top option, Gilgeous-Alexander has passed with flying colors any concerns about his scoring not translating to the postseason. He’s played like one of the best players in the league during this round.

It’s time for the rest of the Thunder’s cast to step up, however. If they do not, OKC’s magical season can end in Game 6 in Dallas on Saturday as it faces a 3-2 series deficit.

Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren have not done enough as scorers to help Gilgeous-Alexander against the Mavericks. Entering the fourth quarter of a pivotal Game 5, the duo was outscored by Derrick Jones Jr. That simply can’t happen.

Williams has averaged 16 points on 40.8% shooting and Holmgren has averaged 14.8 points on 49.1% shooting.

Those are drops from their regular-season numbers.

Williams has struggled to get to the rim. The lack of space inside the paint has forced the second-year wing to settle for pull-up jumpers that haven’t fallen.

The lack of aggressiveness for Williams has also hurt the Thunder. The 23-year-old has naturally played within the flow of the offense, never forcing his shot.

That needs to change in Game 6.

The Thunder’s offense has struggled in the last four games, averaging below 101 points on 44% shooting. Williams is OKC’s second-best scorer, which means the volume needs to increase to avoid elimination.

It might be a bit out of character for Williams to force 20-plus shot attempts, but that type of volume is what the Thunder need from their second-best scorer as outside shooting woes plague them.

For Holmgren, it’s about his outside shot falling. He’s shot 25% from 3 on four attempts. Those numbers need to be better. He’s too talented of a shooter for the ball not to fall in more often.

The Thunder have to utilize the 7-footer more as a scorer inside the paint. He’s proven to be an efficient rolling threat. There’s no reason he shouldn’t see an uptick in usage in Game 6.

Holmgren has been phenomenal on defense, anchoring the interior. The Thunder’s defense has been championship-caliber this entire playoff run. The 22-year-old has played a large part in that being the case.

It’s now about Holmgren contributing on the other side of the floor. He and Williams need to see their usage and shot volume increase in Game 6. There’s no reason OKC’s trio shouldn’t be responsible for two-thirds of its shot attempts.

If the Thunder are going to go down, they might as well go down swinging. OKC’s trio is one of the best in the league, and each needs to play 40-plus minutes and take 15-plus shots each in a must-win situation in Game 6 against the Mavericks.

Gilgeous-Alexander has done enough to win this series, it’s about his fellow faces of the franchise to do their part on offense.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander discusses what Thunder’s Game 6 mindset will be

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander discusses what Thunder’s Game 6 mindset will be.

For the first time this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder will face a must-win scenario in Game 6 against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Thunder’s Game 5 loss to the Mavericks put them in a 3-2 series deficit. One more loss to Dallas means their season ends.

If the Thunder’s offensive woes continue from their last four outings, they’ll likely see a second-round exit despite finishing with the first seed. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been the best player in the series, but the rest of the squad has faded into the background.

Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren need to step up. Plain and simple. They combined for 25 points in OKC’s Game 5 loss. The Thunder need louder production from their second-best and third-best players.

Despite the loss, the Thunder liked what they saw on offense in their Game 5 loss. They produced quality looks and were in rhythm. The outside shot just didn’t fall as they shot an ugly 10-of-40 (25%).

Gilgeous-Alexander discussed their mentality heading into Game 6. He said it’ll remain the same despite the consequence of a season-ending loss.

“It’ll be fun,” Gilgeous-Alexander said on their Game 6 mindset. “Our mood won’t change. Our mentality won’t change. It’s one game at a time. We wanted to win this game as bad as we want to win the next game and the next game. I don’t think it’ll change too much.”

It’s been a competitive back-and-forth series in which neither squad has thoroughly established itself as the better team. The Thunder need to do what the Mavericks just did and collect a road win to force a decisive Game 7.

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Mark Daigneault explains decision to bench Josh Giddey in Game 5 loss to Mavericks

Mark Daigneault explains decision to bench Josh Giddey in Game 5 loss to Mavericks.

The Oklahoma City Thunder made the surprising move of benching Josh Giddey in favor of Isaiah Joe ahead of their Game 5 matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.

This marked the first time in Giddey’s career he’d come off the bench. It’s been a heavily-discussed possibility all series as the Mavericks have elected to ignore the 21-year-old from the perimeter, daring him to shoot.

Alas, the change in starters didn’t change much. The Thunder had another slow start and offensive woes continue to plague them. Joe had six points on 2-of-9 shooting.

Giddey actually had a decent game off the bench, racking up 11 points and three rebounds. In a twist of irony, he was arguably OKC’s second-best player in its Game 5 loss.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault talked about the decision to bench Giddey, saying it was to give the rest of the starters more space to work with as the Mavericks would respect Joe’s outside shot.

“It gave us a chance to get back into some normal attacks on offense,” Daigneault said on the decision to bench Giddey. “Shake the game up a little bit with the opponent and try to generate some flow to start. … It also gives Josh second-unit minutes to playmaker a little bit.”

So what changed between the first four games of this series and Game 5 to force Daigneault’s hand to make the lineup adjustment? He didn’t reveal the exact details but explained the timing of the choice.

“Considering all the information before every single game and treating every game as its own life, I just wasn’t comfortable doing it up until now,” Daigneault said. “At the end of the day, I’m making a lot of different decisions. They’re not all gonna be right or wrong.”

The Thunder will try to stave off elimination as they head to Dallas with a 3-2 series deficit. How OKC handles its starting lineup in that contest will be an interesting storyline to watch.

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‘It gets me going’: Luka Doncic loves the Thunder’s hostile environment

‘It gets me going’: Luka Doncic loves the Thunder’s hostile environment.

In the final moments of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Game 5 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the rowdy crowd sang in unison a two-word chant: “Luka sucks!”

A physically intense back-and-forth second-round series has vilified Doncic for Thunder fans. His antics of complaining to officials as Lu Dort wore him down quickly wore thin for the OKC faithful.

In a pivotal Game 5, Doncic had his best game of the series. He totaled an efficient 31-point triple-double and hit deep 3-pointers in the second half to close the road win.

The 25-year-old has been chatty with Thunder fans. He discussed how the animosity strengthens his powers as one of the best players in the league.

“I love it. And when they chant, ‘Luka sucks,’ it gets me going,” Doncic said.

Regardless of the series winner, the Thunder’s rivalry against the Mavericks has officially started. This could be the first of more playoff series matchups between the squads down the road.

It’s evident Doncic has embraced the villain role in OKC as his best games of the series have happened inside Paycom Center.

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Josh Giddey benched for Isaiah Joe ahead of Round 2 Game 5 against Mavericks

Josh Giddey benched for Isaiah Joe ahead of Round 2 Game 5 against Mavericks.

The Oklahoma City Thunder changed their starting lineup ahead of Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks. For the first time in his career, Josh Giddey will come off the bench.

The Thunder elected to start Isaiah Joe ahead of the 21-year-old. This move marks the first major rotation change for Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault in the 2024 NBA playoffs.

Giddey has struggled in the second round against the Mavericks, and his playing time has dwindled. In OKC’s Game 4 win, Giddey was on the bench to start the second half, replaced by Joe.

The sharpshooter provides the Thunder spacing. Dallas will have to respect him from the perimeter, which it hasn’t done against Giddey.

The series is tied at 2. The rest of the starters remain the same: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.

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Mark Daigneault impressed by Cason Wallace’s playoff contributions

Mark Daigneault impressed by Cason Wallace’s playoff contributions.

As Kyrie Irving sprinted down the court, the multitime All-Star stopped at the left-wing spot for a pull-up 3-pointer. Cason Wallace contested early enough to block the outside shot attempt.

It was a massive stop during the fourth quarter of a close contest. It also encapsulated the type of contributions Wallace has made for the Thunder.

The defensive stop was one of several the Thunder collected in their 14-point comeback win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 to tie the series at two apiece.

Wallace finished with six points in 19 minutes and was a plus-five. The 20-year-old rookie is OKC’s second-best perimeter defender behind Lu Dort, which means it has the luxury of having at least one out there at all times to match up with either Luka Doncic or Irving.

Despite being a rookie, Wallace has played a major role in the Thunder’s playoff run. He’s been one of the top players off the bench and averages the sixth-most minutes in the postseason.

In the playoffs, Wallace has limited opponents to 14-of-54 (25.9%) shooting when guarded by him, per ESPN. That’s the lowest field goal percentage allowed of any player to defend at least 50 shots in the postseason.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault spoke highly of Wallace’s performance in the playoffs, noting he hasn’t allowed his youth or inexperience to get the best of him despite the rise of circumstances.

“Just how easy he is to trust as a 20-year-old player in that game,” Daigneault said about Wallace. “He’s guarding Irving, he’s guarding Doncic, he’s banging threes, he’s where he’s supposed to be. He’s just doing exactly what we’re trying to accomplish in the game plan and the system on both ends of the floor.”

Wallace has been a key rotation player for the Thunder. He might see his role increase if Josh Giddey’s minutes gradually decline to zero. In that case, Wallace is a prime candidate to substitute him as a starter and seamlessly fit in with the starting lineup.

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Mark Daigneault explains why he lets players play through foul trouble

Mark Daigneault explains why he lets his players play through foul trouble.

Separated by a screen, Lu Dort quickly caught up to Luka Doncic, who tricked the defensive stopper into bumping into him and drew the shooting foul.

Less than three minutes into Game 4, Dort picked up a costly second foul. Conventional wisdom would suggest the 25-year-old would get subbed out.

Traditionally speaking, the risk of Dort picking up additional fouls in the first half doesn’t outweigh the benefits. A nightmare scenario for the Thunder was on the horizon. Being without their best point-of-attack defender down the stretch of a close fourth quarter against Doncic could’ve been detrimental.

But Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has always been a very calculating coach, absorbing data and figuring out the best course of action depending on potential outcomes.

Instead of removing Dort early in the season’s biggest game, Daigneault stuck to his philosophy of playing players through foul trouble.

The calculated risk paid off tremendously.

Dort flirted with fouling out but ultimately logged 40 minutes. He was part of the Thunder’s closing lineup in their 14-point comeback win over the Mavericks in Game 4 to even the series at 2.

Dort’s been superb in the playoffs. He continues to add to his mythos of being a postseason riser. After limiting Brandon Ingram to 14.3 points on 34.5% shooting in a first-round sweep, he’s held Doncic to a pedestrian 22 points on 39% shooting through four games of the second round.

The multiple time All-Star had his worst outing yet in Game 4. Doncic finished with 18 points on 6-of-20 shooting, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. He shot 2-of-9 from 3 and committed seven turnovers.

A large reason for the lackluster performance by Dallas’ superstar was Daigneault’s decision to trust Dort’s discipline. He remained in the game and sat only eight minutes.

The Coach of the Year winner is a heavy leaner on analytics. His innovative mindset has helped him become one of the best head coaches in the league.

When it comes to handling players with foul trouble, his approach toward is another example of a long list where Daigneault is ahead of the curve.

“It’s something our data science guide — one of our guys pointed it out to me — as something to think about,” Daigneault said on his philosophy towards players with foul trouble. “The more I thought about it, the more I thought it had some legs.”

Daigneault quickly realized that the fear of a player fouling out is blown out of proportion. The 39-year-old will not let a small possibility heavily influence how he coaches a game.

“So we did it for a couple of years there. What you learn is there’s a lot of games where they don’t even foul out and (Dort) didn’t foul out last night,” Daigneault said. “He finished with five and yet played physically. He didn’t try to avoid fouls. He guarded Doncic the whole time.”

Daigneault further explained his approach toward players in foul trouble aligns with his general philosophy of being an aggressive head coach. That’s most obvious with his usage of challenges. The 39-year-old seldom leaves them unused, knowing they don’t translate to future games.

“I like erring on the side of aggressiveness with a lot of things. I think chance favors the aggressor. I try to be aggressive with a lot of things. I think it sets a good tone with the team,” Daigneault said. “We want them to play aggressively. I need to coach aggressively if I want to expect that from them.”

The Thunder have developed a gem of a head coach with Daigneault. He spent years behind the scenes crafting how he wants to coach. It’s propelled him into being one of the best in his profession.

Since being named head coach, Daigneault’s stuck true to the principles he’s honed in during the early stages of the rebuild to the playoffs.

Trusting Dort to limit Doncic without fouling out by citing analytics is the latest example of how the 39-year-old is more modernistic than the average NBA head coach.

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Mark Daigneault liked what he saw from Kenrich Williams in Thunder’s Game 4 win

Mark Daigneault liked what he saw from Kenrich Williams in Thunder’s Game 4 win over Mavericks.

After Dereck Lively II created an and-1opportunity on a dunk, Kenrich Williams had an issue with the celebration as the rookie’s legs hit the veteran wing.

The ensuing kerfuffle led to double technical fouls for Williams and P.J. Washington, who came to defend his rookie teammate.

That’s exactly what the Oklahoma City Thunder needed.

Through four games this series, the Dallas Mavericks have done an excellent job at bogging down OKC’s offense, resulting in low-scoring, close affairs that bring out the physicality on both sides.

After sitting out OKC’s playoff run until that point, Williams received his first real taste of postseason basketball in the Thunder’s 100-96 Game 4 win over the Mavericks.

In eight minutes, Williams had two rebounds and one assist. More importantly, though, he set the tone and gave the Thunder an edge by refusing to let the Mavericks punk him around.

The usual polite and soft-spoken Williams turns into an intense competitor during games. That type of nasty attitude is what the Thunder needed to jumpstart a comeback attempt after falling to a 14-point hole early on in Game 4.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault revealed the same sentiment after OKC’s close Game 4 win.

“I was hoping to see exactly what I saw — great energy,” Daigneault said about Williams. That game was a fight, a brawl. And he’s a brawler. He elevated the level of physicality.”

With Gordon Hayward out of the rotation, his playing time is up for grabs. Williams has seldom been used in the playoffs, but he’s certainly an option to receive the backup wing minutes for the rest of the Thunder’s second-round series against the Mavericks.

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