By Nick Gallo | Broadcast Reporter and Digital Editor | okcthunder.com
OKC Responds to Adversity, Stays Ready Mentally and Scraps at the Rim
The Drive and Dish is here to answer the questions that might be going through your head during a Thunder game by providing experienced insight, highlighting aspects of the game you might have missed and pulling you behind the curtain with anecdotes, analysis, and stats.
Here’s what you need to know as the Thunder heads to Dallas for Games 3 and 4 against the Mavericks with the series tied 1-1.
Responding to Adversity
After winning five-straight games to start the playoffs by responding well between the gaps in the series and days between the victories, this specific Thunder group has an opportunity to cross another item off its list of first-time experiences together – bouncing back from a playoff loss.
“We've been a team that's grown through everything,” said cead coach Mark Daigneault. “We've grown through a lot of success this year. We have to grow through taking a punch.”
The Thunder dropped Game 2 to the Mavericks 119-110 at home so will head to Dallas looking to re-take homecourt advantage in Game 3 on Saturday afternoon. There’s in-game fortitude and resolve that’s required between games as well. The Thunder showed the in-game kind for much of Game 2 as it continued to challenge the Mavericks’ hold on the scoreboard by taking a three-point lead in third quarter lead after trailing by as many as 14. Ultimately, Dallas was able to respond and the Thunder fell short.
In Game 1, the Thunder had to show a different kind of resilience – holding onto a lead that Dallas was trying to slice into. In the third quarter the Mavericks put together a 12-2 run to cut an 11-point lead down to just one. After a timeout, the Thunder’s response was immediate with an Isaiah Joe 3-pointer on a well-executed play to get him a shot from the left wing. After that, the 3s kept rolling. Lu Dort hit one, Chet Holmgren got one to go and Shai knocked one down too as the Thunder ripped off a 14-4 run to take control of the game for good in OKC’s 117-95 victory.
The defining sequence, however, didn’t come from behind the arc. Instead, it was Dort diving on the floor to steal the ball from Luka Dončić, which led immediately to a runout dunk by Jalen Williams.
It’s a Long Game and a Long Series
There’s so much corporate knowledge in the Thunder organization, so many seasons of collective experience both on and off the court that even though the team is one of the youngest in the league, there’s an uncommon maturity to the group. The understanding of the length of games and the length of series is crucial, and OKC will need to embrace that after losing its first game of the playoffs.
In Game 1, that attitude was demonstrated by third-year wing Aaron Wiggins and second-year wing Jalen Williams, in very different ways. Wiggins didn’t play at all in the first quarter of Game 1 but kept himself ready on the bench both physically and mentally and was primed for his opportunity. He knocked down 3-pointers on his first two touches of the second quarter and was an impact player throughout the night, scoring 16 points as OKC outscored Dallas 40-20 off the bench.
Williams struggled shooting the ball through the first three quarters, going just 2-of-11, but went a perfect 4-for-4 in the fourth quarter to help the Thunder go plus-12 in the final frame to run away with the win. The mental toughness Williams showed, aided by the encouragement of his teammates throughout the night, helped him come through for the team when it needed to deliver a final punch.
“Low Man” Defense
One of the most critical aspects of the Thunder’s defense this series is going to be the way it pinches in from the weak side on the Mavericks’ pick and roll action. With a big man diving toward the rim after screening on nearly every possession, Dallas tries to put presser at the point of attack and at the rim at once. On several occasions in Game 1, the Thunder’s “low man” was in position and on time to make a “moment of truth” play at the rim to blow up a would-be layup. Setting a tone right away in the first quarter, Gordon Hayward blew up a Daniel Gafford roll to the rim by being in the right spot and playing with physicality. Look for these types of well-timed efforts as the series goes on.
Looking Ahead
Game 3 will be at 2:30pm CT and televised on ABC. Game 4 will be at 8:30pm CT and televised on TNT. Both games will also be available on the radio on WWLS 98.1 FM the Sports Animal and the Thunder Radio Network. Be sure to tune in to the Thunder Mobile App or Bally Sports App after the game for the Thunder’s postgame show, which can also be found on KSBI (Ch. 52) in Oklahoma City and KQCW (ch. 19) in Tulsa. Follow along on our @okcthunder social accounts and stay here on the Thunder App or okcthunder.com.
