DALLAS — It's the Dallas Mavericks against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the NBA playoffs -- and, as the series is being broadcast nationally on ABC, you can watch it on WFAA at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 18.
With a domineering Game 5 win in OKC, the Dallas Mavericks return to the AAC on the cusp of reaching the Western Conference Finals for the second time in three years.
The chance is there to clinch the series at home for Dallas, but it will require more of the same from the role players who have stepped up in this series and more overall from their star backcourt who has struggled so far in this series.
Here is a look at the keys for the Mavericks to finish off OKC, lest they send the series back north for a Game 7 on Monday night:
Focused Luka
All-World guard Luka Doncic is fighting through sprains in both legs and neck and back issues that likely would have shelved him for an extended absence in the regular season. These are the playoffs, however. There’s no time for rest for one of the league’s highest-usage players. The Mavericks simply cannot win without him.
Doncic seemed to find soma in Oklahoma by feeding off a hostile crowd in Game 5 after a subpar series through the first four games by his standards. The trash-talk only fuels Luka and the end result was his latest triple-double with a side of stifling defense.
An emphatic block of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander by Doncic on a fast break with 55 seconds left in a game that had reached single digits after a big Mavs lead sucked the will out of the Thunder and sent the Oklahoma fans to the exits.
Doncic’s 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists game was also one where the need to jab with the refs was seldomly seen. Doncic stayed within the things that he could control and played the Thunder out of their own arena. More of the same is expected in Game 6 but Oklahoma City will certainly try to get him off his game by getting under his skin but that might just be playing into his hands.
Confident in playoff Kai
Kyrie Irving’s series high so far is a 22-point effort in a Game 3 home win, and he followed that up by combining for 21 points in Games 4 and 5. After taking a forefront role in the opening round series against Los Angeles, Irving has played heavy minutes against OKC, averaging 40 in the series, and has been instrumental in the game flow for his team, even if he’s not taking over the stat sheet.
While Irving has answered with timely shots, there has yet to be a game in this series where he has commanded the floor with his abilities like he did throughout the series against the Clippers, especially when he dropped 40 on Los Angeles in Game 4.
If Doncic has continued issues playing through his injuries, a clutch performance from the fellow backcourt superstar might be required to push Dallas to the next round. Luckily for Dallas, Irving has a long history of coming up big in the playoffs.
New Lob City
The points in the paint in this series have heavily favored Dallas and remain one of their biggest paths to victory. Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford have been steadily feasting inside, as has Derrick Jones Jr., especially as a target in transition.
There is real joy in seeing the Thunder work for their offense against the Maverick defense, only for Doncic to turn around and easily dissect the Thunder for quick lobs. The ability of Jones Jr. and P.J. Washington to also hit from the perimeter has led OKC to pick from getting burned by a Kyrie or Luka drive, commit to defending the backcourt only to lose to the lob, or watch one of the perimeter players knock one in.
If the Mavericks can continue that formula in Game 6, the series isn’t returning to Oklahoma.
Clamp down defense
The Thunder looked like they were waiting for Dallas to put them to pasture in Game 4 before the Mavs’ free throw woes became their own undoing. After following up their improbable win with a convincing loss at home to fall behind in the series, does Oklahoma City have any fight left? SGA has averaged 31.4 points in the series but no other Thunder has scored more than 20 to date.
The Mavericks defensive sharks should receive immense credit for limiting a team that was rated as the third-best offense in the regular season, and OKC’s scoring has decreased every single game, from 117 in Game 1 to 92 in their latest loss.
The hole for the Thunder looks pretty deep, especially as Dallas’ defensive improvements throughout the second half of the season have continued into the playoffs. If the Mavericks put the locks on Oklahoma City again, the chances to close this series on Saturday night and send their neighbors back up I-35 are soaring like Jones Jr.
Should the Mavs take Game 6, they can begin the wait on their next opponent as Denver and Minnesota head to a Game 7 on Sunday night. If Dallas fails in their attempt to end the Thunder, they will have a Game 7 of their own at Paycom Center on Monday.
Do you think the Mavericks will end OKC in Game 6? Share your predictions with Irvin on Twitter @Twittirv.