Last updated on May 11th, 2024 at 01:15 pm
Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks tied the series with a Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, 119-110. It was OKC’s first defeat in the playoffs this year.
The outstanding performances of Luka Doncic and P.J. Washington fueled the Mavericks’ victory. Doncic’s near-triple-double and Washington’s playoff-career-best 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, were instrumental in the win. According to PPH bookie reports, this performance was a testament to their skill and dedication.
The Mavericks and Doncic got a fast start in the first quarter, and he nearly instantly went on a triple-double binge. Immediately putting the Mavericks ahead, Dončić scored 16 points and made four of their eight 3-pointers in the first quarter. In the first quarter, he scored 24 of Dallas’ 36 points.
Dallas Hangs On Late in the Game
After the first quarter, the Mavericks’ advantage was reduced to four points due to a ridiculous buzzer-beater by Thunder center Chet Holmgren, who received a full-court inbounds pass.
Oklahoma City rallied on a 15-4 run to bring the score down to one possession, even though the Mavericks were within striking distance before halftime and had built up a 15-point advantage. The Thunder were only down five points heading into halftime after letting up 68 points in the first half.
Thanks to Aaron Wiggins, the Thunder got off to a great start in the second half. Wiggins, who replaced Josh Giddey to start the third quarter, scored 13 points to lead the Thunder in a 13-0 run, and his game-winning jumper in the lane gave them the lead for the first time.
Doncic Game MVP
However, the Thunder could only get a lead of that size. With Doncic sitting on the bench, the Mavericks went on an 18-4 run, with 10 points in a row from Tim Hardaway Jr., to regain a double-digit lead.
The Mavericks held the Thunder at arm’s length for the remainder of the game despite the Thunder’s best efforts to reduce the gap in the fourth quarter. The Thunder went through a difficult period as they missed all but one of their last eleven field goal tries, which gave the Mavericks the lead, and Dončić seems to have a solution for everything.
In the defeat, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points while grabbing 12 rebounds and dishing out eight assists. From the field, he made 13 of 24 shots. Holmgren contributed 11 points and six boards, while Jalen Williams scored 20. Before Thursday night, the Thunder had not allowed a single playoff opponent to score more than 95 points despite their first-round sweep of the Pelicans.
With 29 points, ten rebounds, and seven assists, Doncic was Dallas’ top scorer. Washington scored 29 points on 7-of-11 shooting from outside the arc and added 11 boards and four assists. Hardaway contributed 17 points in only nine minutes off the bench while making 6 9 field goal attempts. Despite making only 2 of 8 field goal attempts, Kyrie Irving finished with 9 points and 11 assists. Ensure you know the advantage of betting early on NBA games before Game 3 of the Mavericks vs. Thunder series.
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