DALLAS (AP) — Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was making his regular share of pictures by means of three quarters for Oklahoma Metropolis. Most of his teammates weren’t, till it mattered most.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 factors and the Thunder overcame a Mavericks franchise playoff-record 13 blocks, rallying for a 100-96 victory Monday evening to even their Western Convention semifinal sequence at 2-2.
Chet Holmgren and Lu Dort hit clutch 3-pointers late, and Jalen Williams drove for a dunk and a 94-91 lead with 1:29 remaining as Dallas gamers and coaches screamed for a double-dribble name.
Crew chief Zack Zarba stated in a pool report that video confirmed officers have been appropriate not calling the double-dribble, saying Williams by no means had management of the ball earlier than grabbing it with two fingers and beginning his dribble.
The groups break up a pair on one another’s house court docket. Sport 5 is Wednesday evening in Oklahoma Metropolis.
“We simply caught to it,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated. “We simply plugged away, took it possession by possession. And finally the sport turned for us.”
The Mavericks’ final likelihood to tie got here with 10.1 seconds left when, trailing by two, Luka Doncic had two free throws. However the Dallas celebrity missed the primary, a part of a dismal 12-for-23 effort by the Mavs from the road. Oklahoma Metropolis was 23 for twenty-four.
“We’ve simply started working on our free throws,” Doncic stated. “We shot 52 per cent. That’s unacceptable.”
Backed by considered one of their greatest defensive efforts of the season, the Mavs led by 14 early within the second half. However their offence disappeared from there, and the Thunder slowly got here again.
Oklahoma Metropolis went in entrance for the primary time since early within the recreation — and for good — on Holmgren’s 3 for an 89-86 lead with 3:24 remaining.
P.J. Washington Jr. led Dallas in scoring once more with 21 factors, whereas Doncic had 18 factors, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Kyrie Irving had his second single-digit scoring recreation of the sequence with 9 factors.
Dort’s clutch 3 got here on a 3-of-10 taking pictures evening from deep as he completed with 17 factors. Holmgren had 18 factors and 9 rebounds.
Dereck Vigorous II and Derrick Jones Jr. had 4 blocks apiece for Dallas, every getting one within the ultimate seconds of the primary half to proceed the defensive tone that had already been set.
That defensive wrestle turned downright ugly within the third quarter, with the Thunder outscoring Dallas 22-15 to chop their deficit to 4 — the closest that they had been for the reason that center of the primary quarter. Oklahoma Metropolis shot 33 per cent within the third to 25 per cent for the Mavs.
Dallas wasn’t a lot better within the fourth, taking pictures 42% and going simply 1 of 5 from lengthy vary whereas the Thunder lastly began seeing pictures go in after taking pictures 34 per cent by means of three quarters.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who together with Holmgren did a lot of the shotmaking whereas their teammates struggled, obtained the Thunder even on a jumper with 4 minutes to go.
“There’s nothing snug about playoff video games,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault stated. “I believed our skill simply to endure the early punches, and simply not in a position to get again within the recreation for a very long time, our skill to endure that was massive time. Within the fourth, the offence turned for us.”
Washington, making his first post-season look as a trade-deadline acquisition that was a defence-first transfer, had his third consecutive recreation with not less than 20 factors and added 12 rebounds.
Doncic had his fifth profession playoff triple-double however once more struggled together with his taking pictures as he offers with a sprained proper knee and a sore left ankle.
The five-time All-Star was 6 of 20 general and 2-of-9 from lengthy vary, whereas the eight-time All-Star Irving hasn’t put an offensive stamp on any of the primary 4 video games.
A pair that averaged simply shy of 60 factors per recreation within the common season is at 37 within the sequence. Irving isn’t even within the second-leading scorer. That’s Washington.
“I believe there’s a give attention to us,” Doncic stated. “After we each drive it, they collapse the paint, nearly 5 guys. So I believe that’s been tough for us. We’ve simply obtained to search out open teammates.”
With Oklahoma Metropolis main by three after two free throws from Holmgren within the ultimate seconds, Gilgeous-Alexander fouled Washington earlier than the Mavs may try a possible tying 3.
Washington missed the primary free throw, dropping Dallas to 11 of twenty-two, and was making an attempt to overlook the second — but it surely went in. Gilgeous-Alexander then put the Mavs away with two extra free throws.
“That is in all probability probably the most significant recreation I’ve performed in my profession,” the Oklahoma Metropolis star stated.
