Reporters' Notebook: OT Thriller in Dallas

By Nick Gallo and Paris Lawson | okcthunder.com

The last time the Thunder faced the Mavericks was in the 21-22 season. OKC had deja vu in American Airlines Center on Saturday night in a matchup that once again required an extra five minutes to decide a winner. 

The dramatic game of runs featured a fourth quarter effort by the Thunder who trailed by 16 with just four minutes left to play. It took a stout defensive effort by all five players on the floor and readied offensive contributions from players like Isaiah Joe to close out the game in Dallas with a 117-111 win.

Paris: The Thunder has a swath of versatile defensive options when it comes to containing Luka Dončić. Between Lu Dort, Darius Bazley and Kenrich Williams – OKC has been able to throw a multitude of looks at him each possession. Bazley’s length at 6-foot-8 seems to be extremely disruptive for the NBA’s leading scorer. His wingspan had the ability to deter Dončić’s 3-point looks and Bazley’s frame could withstand Doncic’s back-down post up attempts through the first quarter. 

Nick: The ball zipped around the perimeter as Thunder players tried to move the defense and create openings for cutters and drivers throughout the first quarter. The result was downhill attacks from guards like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort and Tre Mann, as well as some finishes by Aaron Wiggins and  Darius Bazley. The Thunder was scoring all the way at the rim and on floaters, taking what the defense gave in the middle of the floor on its way to 22 points in the paint in the opening 12 minutes. 

Paris: OKC’s physicality already on display in just the first quarter of this game. The Thunder drew a total of five offensive fouls on Dallas through the first 12 minutes. Coming into this game, the Thunder led the league in charges drawn per game. Whether it was taking charges, fighting through screens or holding their ground under the rim, OKC’s defense has been disciplined against Dallas’ slow-paced offense. 

Paris: The Thunder has leaned into its strength offensively – attacking downhill and scoring in the paint. Going into halftime, the Thunder has yet to make a 3-pointer, but it is outscoring the Mavericks 32 to 22 in paint points while shooting at an efficient 64 percent. 

Nick: Jalen (JDub) Williams made his return to the Thunder lineup tonight after missing the last four games with a right orbital bone fracture. After taking a few minutes to adjust to the physicality and tempo of the game, Williams found his windows to make an impact on both ends of the ball. In the second quarter alone, Williams snapped up two steals and saved a sure thing layup by Dallas rookie Jaden Hardy by absolutely erasing it off the rim. Williams also was efficient on offense in the quarter, scoring 9 points on 3-of-4 shooting by using his length to finish over the top of the defense and on an emphatic one-handed slam in transition. 

Paris: The Thunder ignited on a 13-2 run at the back end of the third quarter to regain its lead. It was a string of strong finishes at the rim by Darius Bazley, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams that sparked OKC’s offense, but the run was capped on the defensive end. Gilgeous-Alexander snatched an errant pass from Luka Dončić and kicked it ahead to Williams who simply dropped the ball back off to SGA to finish the easy play and force a Dallas timeout. 

Nick: Fourth-year forward Darius Bazley gives the Thunder a physical element and emotional leadership that’s unique on the roster. Bazley scored 8 of his 15 points in the third quarter, including a pair of ferocious dunks that left no chance for any disruption. In a battle of teams playing smaller lineups, one of Bazley’s major assets is his ability to play bigger than his listed height and weight thanks to the physicality and toughness he’s developed over the course of his first three seasons in the league. 

Nick: The Thunder coaching staff trusts all of the player up and down the roster, and has given each one a chance to make an impact in the early going. Tonight, it was the newest member of the Thunder, Isaiah Joe’s turn to get thrust into a crucial situation. Checking in for the first time all game with under five minutes to go, Joe was on the floor during the Thunder’s closing 18-2 run to end regulation. Joe tied the game at 99-99 with 14.6 seconds to go with a clutch 3-pointer, part of a dizzying 15-point effort on 4-for-4 shooting in nine total minutes. 

Paris: The Thunder’s fourth quarter run extended into overtime until it finally reached 30-8. It was the first overtime game of the season for the Thunder, but the team showed the poise and composure of a squad who had been there before. Sticking to the same solid principles that got them back in the ball game such as making strong, patient plays offensively and then hustling all out defensively to rotate and contest as many looks as possible. 

Isaiah Joe on the character of this team…

“Every player that we have just as heart as you can. We fight. No matter how many points we're down, we’re just going to continue to fight and continue to play hard because at the end of the day, the little things add up and it showed tonight.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the continuity of the group…

“The whole group for a year and a little bit now, we've been in situations. We spend all our time together. We trust each other, love each other. I think we just want to win at the end of the day.”

The Thunder returns to Oklahoma City for a pair of home games inside of Paycom Center. OKC will host the Orlando Magic on Tuesday and the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.

By (Zach Beeker | OKC Thunder)