DALLAS — Editor's note: Game 3 of the Mavericks-Thunder series will air at 2:30 p.m. on WFAA.
With a complete team victory in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs from Oklahoma City, the Dallas Mavericks erased the bad taste from their mouths following a blowout Game 1 loss.
The Mavericks now return to Dallas with a renewed sense of confidence and motivation, and with the home court advantage in their back pocket. The budding rivalry continues with a Saturday matinee at the American Airlines Center that will break the 1-1 series tie, before Game 4 on Monday night looms large for whichever team is unable to take the series lead on Saturday.
The split in OKC means Dallas finds itself in a best of five series thanks to a couple of return to glory games from Luka Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr., as well as an arrival game from P.J Washington, who had a career playoff best 29 points on Thursday. Hardaway’s shooting was missed after he was absent from much of the opening round against Los Angeles, but the return to form for Doncic is the main thing that spells danger for the No. 1 seed Thunder.
Doncic was 6-of-19 in Tuesday night’s opener and only made one of his eight three-point attempts as the Thunder ran away with the Game 1 win. In the postgame press conference, Doncic looked dejected with his own play. While clearly playing through a knee issue that will be ignored until the start of the offseason, Doncic’s performance this postseason entering Game 2 had not been up to his elevated standards.
Taking some time away from his busy schedule ranking up in Overwatch, Thursday’s effort saw a motivated Doncic come out shooting with a purpose from the onset. With the Thunder fan base channeling their disdain every time Doncic touched the ball, those familiar with the guard’s ability to use hate as lighter fuel for his monster runs probably shook their heads.
Doncic played through pain for 41 minutes, taking shots to the body and face and dishing out his marquee trash talk to players and fans alike. Doncic scored 29 points in a tense battle that saw Dallas even what is quickly becoming a contentious series, including some dagger threes that silenced the adopted barking of the arena and sent fans scurrying to the exit before the final whistle.
The Game 2 bounce-back was the type of performance that Mavs fans had become acclimated to as normal from their All-World superstar, and those have almost been a given in the playoffs so far during his young career before the knee injury made Doncic questionable ahead of each contest.
However, with Doncic once again being the linchpin in a Mavs victory, the tied series is suddenly filled with intrigue. There has yet to be a certified monster game from either of Dallas’ backcourt superstars, and the Mavericks have yet to play their best game this postseason.
Doncic running mate Kyrie Irving – who was so critical to Dallas advancing over the Clippers in round one – had an efficient 20 points on 7-14 shooting in Game 1, including three of four makes from deep. However, he took a more ancillary role in Game 2 scoring nine points in 41 minutes, only making two field goals but assisting on a game-high eleven baskets.
With Irving and Doncic both having to weather the onslaught of verbal abuse from some of the Oklahoma attendees, the Thunder could be in store for a perfect storm from the motivated guards as they return to the friendlier confines of the AAC where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and the Thunder will be the enemies.
Gilgeous-Alexander was named the runner-up to the league MVP behind Nikola Jokic, with Doncic finishing in third place. The Canadian guard who elevated his game this season added 33 points for the Thunder, who along with Jalen Williams were the only threats against Dallas with Holmgren having a quiet game in Game 2.
With the Mavs answering the bell to even the series, the question now becomes how will the young Thunder respond to their first loss of the postseason? In addition, it will be interesting to see how OKC denizens respond as the series takes the regional rivalry south.
Do you think the Mavericks will make use of their home court advantage? Share your predictions with Irvin on Twitter @Twittirv.