2024 NBA Playoffs: West Semifinals: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #5 Dallas Mavericks (DAL WINS 4-2)

[Baz]

My hope and expectation is that the jitters are gone now and Luka is going to be a nightmare for OKC. Mavs in 6.

[iggymcfrack]

Thunder are clearly the better team and they’re at home, but the difference isn’t enough to pick them in 5 and I definitely don’t see them winning a Game 6 on Dallas’ home floor so it’s gotta be Thunder in 7.

[MrGoat]

Fortunately it starts on Tuesday instead of Sunday which gives Luka's knee a little more rest time. It's definitely affecting his shot. OKC hasn't really been tested yet so it may be a shock for them if the Mavs bring the same kind of defensive intensity they did against the Clippers. They handed OKC their worst loss of the season the only time the played them post trade with Luka available. Luka needs to be at least close to full health, though

[iggymcfrack]

This series is going MINIMUM 6 games.

I have it going 7 games. With the edge going to Dallas for having the best player of the series.

LUKA.

SGA > Luka
Chet > Kyrie
J-Will >>> uh…. Lively?
Thunder depth >>>>> Mavs’ depth

[5IVE5TAR5]

Don't like either team

But I'll say Thunder. They have fresh legs, they have more depth, they have coty and most importantly they have some of the best perimeter defense in the league.

Thunder in 5 or 6.

[walaysapi]

OKC gets folded easy. Shai gets clamped by DJJ and PJ and doesnt get the benefit of 25 FTs per game. The Twig gets bullied in the paint. Mavs in 5 but only because the league wants to extend the series.

[Gatorade Sax]

Surprised to see everyone on OKC so far..early days in this thread though.

They have literally zero playoff experience and weren’t tested remotely by New Orleans..

Kyrie has won a legitimate chip and looks supremely focused right now. Luka didn’t even play well and still killed the Clippers. Both have upped the effort big time on D.

Bigs on both teams are young, but OKC relying on a rookie in Chet to make big contributions seems dangerous to me. Mavs bigs know they simply have to catch lobs and rebound hard.

Wouldn’t surprise me to see the Mavs jump them early in this series, then the pressure is squarely on a very young, inexperienced squad.

Guess we’ll see, gotta love playoffs!

[ConstableChaos]

I really think a pre Euroleague Exum would have been an excellent defender for SGA. He had the lateral speed and length to give him problems imo. Unfortunately I think that athlete is gone now

[Soonercrazy84]

This series is going MINIMUM 6 games.

I have it going 7 games. With the edge going to Dallas for having the best player of the series.

LUKA.

Huh? SGA

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[ChipotleWest]

SGA has now won 1 playoff series to Luka's 3, they're the same age in fact SGA is 6 months older. The entire team has the 1 series they just won and that's basically it. Kyrie and Luka have way more playoff experience than anyone on the team except Gordon Hayward who played 0 minutes in the first round. OKC faced no adversity in the first round, they'll likely face it sometime this series. How will they react?

[ArksNetsSince99]

Mavs in 6

[Forbes]

That sprain in Luka’s knee is killing his lift on the 3s. A lot of shots falling short. I can’t see us winning a long series if Luka isn’t gonna be right. I’ve seen miracles happen though

[Mavrelous]

After the trades Dallas mauled the Thunder with Luka and lost to them without Luka.

I'd favor Dallas but not with Luka dinged and shooting so badly from three. It's wrecking Dallas' offense IMO.

Legler went over this yesterday. Go to like 7:30 minutes in. He said Luka's shot is not right.

https://www.youtube.com/live/CxVSP7fRusg?si=JjxvXkzA7XRgVL1R

Luka's not at his normal level. I'm taking OKC in like 6-7.

If Luka regains his shot, I think Dallas wins.

That's where I'm at...
I think post deadline Mavs are a better team, but Luka's shooting slump is an absolute killer since it's a team with bad spacing already.

[GilbertMD]

Oklahoma city are going to surprise a lot of people. Experience is important, postseason battle scars are very important. But what's even more important is health. Dallas are riddled with them, THJ, Maxi and now Luka hobbling. Meanwhile OKC are probably the most healthiest and now rested team in the playoffs, which is so important.

Oklahoma has homecourt advantage and I expect their crowd to be very loud, they have a chance to set the tone early and ridding that momentum for the entire series.

7 very long game series coming down to the wire. OKC will make their first western conference appearance since 2016.

[WestbrookGOATed]

SGA has now won 1 playoff series to Luka's 3, they're the same age in fact SGA is 6 months older. The entire team has the 1 series they just won and that's basically it. Kyrie and Luka have way more playoff experience than anyone on the team except Gordon Hayward who played 0 minutes in the first round. OKC faced no adversity in the first round, they'll likely face it sometime this series. How will they react?

Although the bubble was a joke, Shai and Dort both got playoff experience in their 7 game series against Houston.

[blueberrysticky]

Luka's knee is worrisome. Kyrie's play gives me hope though

[ChipotleWest]

Read on Twitter

[Johnny Tomala]

Mavericks in 6.

[durden_tyler]

Mavs in 6.

[durden_tyler]

i trust Mavs defense will continue to flourish and at the same time, we'll get the peak Luka (unlike Clippers series).