DALLAS — Two errors in the end doomed the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder late Saturday evening in Dallas, defining the ultimate seconds of their Sport 6 loss and second-round elimination, ending a 57-win dream season in abrupt, bitter style.
The primary got here from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, their MVP candidate and the primary cause they led by 1 level late. Gilgeous-Alexander had 36 factors. His eighth help was a lob to Chet Holmgren with 20.6 seconds left, placing the Thunder up 116-115. However on the deciding possession of the sequence, Gilgeous-Alexander tried to dam a P.J. Washington nook 3 and, after initially clipping the basketball, his arm slid right down to Washington’s elbow, incomes the whistle.
“I shouldn’t have fouled him,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “We speak about all of it yr, the little issues that go into profitable video games. The self-discipline. It sucks.”
The second mistake got here from Mark Daigneault, the NBA Coach of the Yr and regarded one of many rising minds within the league. He had one timeout and a problem nonetheless out there to him. Contemplating the load of the second, he opted to make use of it.
However the resolution backfired. The officers watched the replay and rapidly confirmed the foul. Due to the problem, the Thunder misplaced their closing timeout, which meant they couldn’t advance their inbound into the frontcourt or design a play. Washington made the primary two free throws, missed the third deliberately and Jalen Williams was pressured right into a full-court heave. The Dallas Mavericks gained 117-116 with out the Thunder getting a real closing possession.
“I believed any probability that we may take factors off the board and reverse that decision could be well worth the threat,” Daigneault mentioned. “That’s why I went and acquired it.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: “I shouldn’t have fouled him.” Stated he can’t/gained’t watch replay. pic.twitter.com/NAWvIiobHD
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) Could 19, 2024
Zoom out and the totality of this Thunder season is a major success. Their rebuild hit warp velocity. They jumped from the Play-In bracket to 57 wins and the highest seed within the loaded West. Their star, Gilgeous-Alexander, completed second in MVP voting after which produced within the playoffs at a stage (30.2 factors on 50/43/79 taking pictures splits) that additional legitimized his standing as an alpha star on a contender.
Behind him, Jalen Williams made an enormous second-year leap as a valued two-way wing. He’ll enter the following section of his profession as an All-Star candidate. Chet Holmgren recovered from a severe foot harm to play all 82 video games in his delayed rookie season, arriving as an elite rim protector and environment friendly secondary scorer. The roster behind them complemented properly.
However playoff runs reveal warts, and this core’s first postseason collectively surfaced blemishes and generated questions.
Josh Giddey’s long-term match enters the highlight. Giddey was drafted as a tall guard with passing and playmaking abilities however with issues about his protection and taking pictures. He had an encouraging first season, profitable Rookie of the Month 4 instances. However the courtroom calculus round him modified. Due to Gilgeous-Alexander’s explosion and Williams’ ascension, Giddey has been bumped to a lower-usage position principally off the ball (the place floor-spacing and defensive versatility are paramount).
That isn’t conducive to Giddey’s strengths and heightens his weaknesses. The Mavericks cross-matched their facilities onto Giddey at any time when he was on the ground on this sequence and parked them within the paint, unafraid that Giddey may burn them excessive. He didn’t. Giddey went 3-of-16 on 3s within the sequence and the Thunder misplaced his courtroom time by 23 factors.
Daigneault responded swiftly. They anticipated the Mavericks’ scheme and restricted Giddey to 17, 11, 13, 12, 12 and 11 minutes within the six video games, his six lowest minute totals since December. He didn’t begin the second half of Video games 2 and 4. He was changed within the beginning lineup by Isaiah Joe in Video games 5 and 6.
The Thunder don’t essentially need to resolve on Giddey’s future this summer time, however the urgency is rising. Subsequent season, he’ll make an affordable $8.3 million within the closing yr of his rookie deal, however he’s extension eligible this summer time, which is often long-term resolution time on gamers. Due to how rapidly they’ve entered rivalry, the fifth spot within the Thunder’s beginning lineup (and their allocation of future funds) has grown in significance.
In the event that they go looking for a veteran improve, Giddey profiles as a commerce candidate if the Thunder compiled a bundle constructed round a piece of their useful first-rounders. That features the twelfth general decide in June’s draft, obtained from the Rockets. The Thunder will get costly quickly — as soon as the eventual large Williams and Holmgren contracts are due — however they’ll have some cap flexibility within the two seasons prior, relying on how they wish to use it.
Let’s assume that Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Luguentz Dort and Holmgren return, making up four-fifths of their beginning and shutting lineup. They’ve Joe, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins and Jaylin Williams underneath low cost crew management. Daigneault used all 4 at numerous instances as useful rotation gamers in opposition to the Mavericks.
Joe began the final two video games. Wiggins opened the second half of Sport 2. Wallace closed the Sport 4 win. Jaylin Williams closed in Sport 6, as Daigneault went to the not often used double large lineup, getting further beef on the inside to help Holmgren, who was struggling to struggle off Dereck Energetic II and the stronger Mavericks.
“Attempting to assist out on the glass particularly,” Daigneault mentioned. “Not simply on the glass. They have been discovering bigs on among the dunk-downs. (We have been) simply attempting to get extra cumulative measurement on the ground.”
At their most susceptible second, staring elimination within the face, the Thunder tried to get an additional large man on the ground. That could possibly be informative when questioning how common supervisor Sam Presti may rearrange the roster this offseason. OKC had a defensive rebound fee of 66.8 p.c in opposition to Dallas, worse than its common season clip (69.8), which was bottom-five within the league.
The Thunder have a five-out id and have prioritized the power to make performs from each place whereas constructing the roster. Nothing indicated that they’re seeking to stray away from that so as to add brute measurement, however an additional large physique on the inside (particularly one that may capably hit a 3 and cross on the transfer) seems the most important want, both at energy ahead subsequent to Holmgren or at backup middle behind him.
“I’m not going to make commentary on our roster,” Daigneault mentioned. “Clearly our roster was ok this yr to win numerous video games, be the one-seed in a tricky convention. We had every part we would have liked. Tonight, on this sequence, they have been higher, however I wouldn’t have a look at that as an indictment on something. It’s painful. We thought we had an opportunity to perform one thing particular. However we are able to flip this ache into progress.”
Daigneault and the Thunder mentioned they felt they misplaced the sequence between Video games 2 by means of 5 when the offense hit the skids. The Mavericks packed the paint egregiously, sagging off Giddey, Dort, Wiggins, Wallace and even Holmgren. They collectively went chilly from 3. Holmgren went 6-of-27 from 3 within the sequence. The ball stagnated. They couldn’t get into the paint. They struggled to regulate.
“There are solely so some ways you will get performed,” Daigneault mentioned. “There’s a restricted quantity. We’ve seen all of them this yr. As time goes on, you get extra snug attacking them. In a playoff sequence, all of them get thrown at you. No matter vulnerabilities you may have, the opposite crew goes to attempt to expose. We tried to do it to Dallas and New Orleans. They tried to do it to us. That’s the way you be taught.”
The Thunder stopped involving Dort and Wallace and different guards in among the display screen motion, which had clogged the stream. Holmgren spent a lot of Sport 6 within the dunker spot, releasing him for some lobs. They collectively attacked with extra decisiveness and rediscovered their drive-and-kick recreation. That they had their greatest offensive evening of the sequence within the elimination recreation. But it surely was too late.
“I suppose methods to course appropriate,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned when requested what classes had been realized. “One of the best groups are in a position to determine the problem and repair the issue (snaps fingers) in a extremely quick time. That’s what in the end permits you to win quarters, win video games. You see it all around the league. You simply noticed it with Denver, their capability to course appropriate and get again on the highway. This can be a studying expertise for all of us.”
The Thunder may’ve been extra aggressive on the commerce deadline. They helped the Mavericks facilitate the Daniel Gafford cope with Washington, enhancing a future asset within the course of. They despatched out a foul wage to amass Gordon Hayward’s expiring $31.5 million deal, clearing their future books.
There was hope Hayward may assist some within the meantime. He didn’t. Hayward performed 46 playoff minutes. He scored zero factors. He was out of the rotation by the center of the Mavericks sequence. He’s not prone to return to the Thunder subsequent season.
However that’s a fringe-level concern for a budding core that has one of many brightest futures within the NBA.
“We are able to really feel it,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “We undoubtedly took a step in the proper path this yr, to say the least. This second stings. You don’t ever wish to lose. However there have been undoubtedly some good issues to come back out of it. Moments like that is what makes champions.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the Thunder’s future: “We are able to really feel it…Moments like that is what makes champions.” pic.twitter.com/6KrP3nDGeo
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) Could 19, 2024
(Photograph of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leaping to defend in opposition to P.J. Washington: Kevin Jairaj / USA As we speak)