We\u2019re being spoiled in this matchup. It contains some of the best players to take the hardwood<\/p>\n\n\n\n
this season. That includes two of the three NBA MVP finalists this season in Luka Doncic for the<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mavericks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander representing the Thunder, each meeting the other for<\/p>\n\n\n\n
the first time in the postseason. After Oklahoma City took the regular-season series 3-1, it brings the head-to-head regular season record between the MVP finalists to five a piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Mavericks defense is going to be plenty busy in this series. They\u2019re facing an Oklahoma<\/p>\n\n\n\n
City squad that posted an average of 120.1 points through 82 regular season games. For<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dallas, they improved on their defensive play later in the season and through the first round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Mavs limited their first-round opponents in the Los Angeles Clippers to fewer than 95 points<\/p>\n\n\n\n
in three games during the opening round. What makes this impressive is the fact that the<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clippers scored fewer than 95 points just three times during the regular season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic are each averaging nearly 30 points per game with<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Doncic having surpassed that number in half of his six first-round contests this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gilgeous-Alexander finished in the top five in terms of MVP voting last year and is now top<\/p>\n\n\n\n
three. He leads the youngest team in NBA history to win a playoff round into this series. That<\/p>\n\n\n\n
includes Rookie of the Year finalist Chet Holmgren and Lugentz Dort for the Thunder. On the<\/p>\n\n\n\n
other side, Doncic is flanked by veteran star Kyrie Irving who has similarly posted at least 30<\/p>\n\n\n\n
points in three of his last six games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mavericks +110<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thunder -130<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the Thunder may have taken the season series 3-1, the final game was on the last day of<\/p>\n\n\n\n
the regular season. That\u2019s significant as the Mavericks didn’t have their star players on the court<\/p>\n\n\n\n
to show up and show out. With both squads not holding back, don\u2019t be surprised if this series<\/p>\n\n\n\n
goes the distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dec. 2, 2023 Thunder 126 <\/strong>Mavericks 120<\/p>\n\n\n\n Feb. 10, 2024 Thunder 111 Mavericks 146<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mar. 14, 2024 Mavericks 119 Thunder 126<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Apr. 14, 2024 Mavericks 86 Thunder 135<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Game 1: Mavericks vs. Thunder, Tuesday, May 7<\/p>\n\n\n\n Game 2: Mavericks vs. Thunder, Thursday, May 9<\/p>\n\n\n\n Game 3: Thunder vs. Mavericks, Saturday, May 11<\/p>\n\n\n\n Game 4: Thunder vs. Mavericks, Monday, May 13<\/p>\n\n\n\n Game 5: Mavericks vs. Thunder, Tuesday, May 14 *<\/p>\n\n\n\n Game 6: Thunder vs. Mavericks, Saturday, May 18 *<\/p>\n\n\n\n Game 7: Mavericks vs. Thunder, Monday, May 20 *<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We\u2019re being spoiled in this matchup. It contains some of the best players to take the hardwood this season. That…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":24923,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[134],"tags":[162],"class_list":["post-24922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","tag-nba"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tSERIES SCHEDULE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n