SAN PEDRO, LAGUNA — After suffering an upset in Game 1, the Dallas Mavericks bounced back against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a 119-110 victory during the Semifinals of the NBA Playoffs on Friday, May 10.
In the first three minutes of the opening quarter, Mavericks’ star player Luka Doncic ignited the scoreboard, netting eight points, including two three-pointers, propelling his team to an early 13-2 lead.
The Thunder’s Chet Holmgren narrowed the margin with a buzzer-beater 2-pointer to close the first quarter, with Dallas still ahead at 36-32.
As the game progressed, the Thunder’s Gilgeous-Alexander managed to secure the first tie of the game at 70 points.
Despite Oklahoma City briefly taking the lead, Mavericks’ P.J. Washington responded with a crucial 25-foot 3-point jump shot, leveling the score at 75 points.
Josh Green broke the tie with a 3-point jump shot, putting the Mavericks back in the lead at 80-77.
With nine minutes remaining in the final quarter, the Mavericks regained control after the Thunder mounted a consistent scoring run. Doncic sealed the victory with a clutch 3-pointer, putting the Mavericks ahead at 104-95.
Despite battling through injuries, Doncic delivered an impressive performance, tallying 29 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists.
“I think today was one of the hardest games I’ve had to play. I am battling out there, trying to do my best to help the team win,” Doncic said in a post-game interview.
In addition to Doncic’s standout performance, Washington contributed 29 points and 11 rebounds for the team, sinking seven of 11 3-pointers.
The Mavericks also set a playoff record by sinking 18 three-pointers, showcasing their sharpshooting prowess.
With the series tied at 1-1, the Mavericks will face off against the Thunder once again in Dallas, Texas for Game 3 on Sunday, May 12 at 3:30 AM PH time.