The Mavericks squandered a very winnable Game 4, as the Thunder rallied late.
For the majority of Game 4, it appeared that the Dallas Mavericks were on their way to a dominant 3-1 lead in their second-round game with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2024 NBA playoffs. However, the Mavericks were unable to complete the task, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams combined in the last minute to lead the Thunder to a 100-96 victory, tying the series.
The Mavericks’ defense was solid for most of the game, but the Thunder made their shots when it counted the most. Meanwhile, the Mavericks exacerbated the problem by failing to score in the final minutes of the game.
It’s unfortunate that the Mavericks didn’t win the game despite having a 14-point lead at one point. Given the razor-thin margins between them and the Thunder, they should address a number of their deficiencies in Game 4 if they are to reclaim their series lead in front of another loud crowd at Paycom Center.
Of course, one individual cannot share the blame; some are culpable for the failure more than others, but in the end, the Mavericks will accept that they lost Game 4 as a team. Nonetheless, here’s how the Mavericks let a game slip away on Monday night.
Free throws are not free points
Converting from the charity stripe is hardly the Mavericks’ strong te. They have a few line shooters, such Kyrie Irving and Tim Hardaway Jr., who are almost certain to make their free throws, but their rotation is full of players who aren’t as skilled. They say that contending teams follow the identity of their greatest player, and this is certainly true for the Mavericks in terms of free-throw shooting, as Luka Doncic is a lifetime 74.7 percent free-throw shooter with a high volume.
On Monday night, the Mavericks squandered numerous points due to their inaccuracy at the foul line. They went a very cold 12-23 from the charity stripe, good for 52.2 percent — a terrible figure. It was as if every free throw attempt was made by Shaquille O’Neal himself. (Shaq’s career foul shooting percentage was 52.7%.)
The Mavericks failed to convert free throws at critical stages in the game. Luka Doncic, in particular, was responsible for one of their most heartbreaking missed opportunities of the night. With the Mavs behind by two, 96-94, Doncic earned a trip to the foul line when Luguentz Dort tripped him up. Doncic ended up breaking a pair, so instead of a tie, Dallas had to keep playing catch-up in a game they had led for the majority of the time.
The Thunder then converted both of their free throws, with Chet Holmgren calmly sinking both from 15 feet. With the score at 98-95, OKC intentionally fouled PJ Washington to prevent the Mavericks from attempting a game-tying three-pointer. Washington has shot effectively from the floor in recent games, but his foul shooting needs improvement. Washington, a lifetime 70.5 percent free-throw shooter, followed Doncic’s lead and made only one of two, thereby clinching their defeat.
That was simply the narrative of the game; the Mavericks only made half of their free throws, while the Thunder went 23-24, an 11-point difference despite taking only one more attempt than Dallas.
The Mavericks had the fourth-lowest free-throw percentage (75.8) as a team during the regular season. But they’ve delivered when it counts. They were able to convert their freebies, allowing them to withstand the Thunder’s comeback in Game 3. Even Dereck Lively II, who shot 50.6 percent from the foul line earlier in his career, sank his free throws on Saturday.
It’s a stomach hit to leave 11 points on the board after losing by four. If they had shot at least their season average, they would have scored five more points and won by one. The entire Mavericks squad may be in for a long practice session from the foul line when they return to Oklahoma City.
Mavericks falter late as Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving get clamped
The top players on a team are responsible for leading it to victory in the playoffs. The Mavericks can only go as far as Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving take them. Thus, it’s not the ideal look when PJ Washington, as well as he has played in previous games, ends up being the team’s leading scorer in a four-point Game 4 setback.
Doncic continues to labor despite his knee injury, with Luguentz Dort, Cason Wallace, and Jalen Williams all bothering the Mavericks star. The Slovenian superstar may have produced an 18-point, 12-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, but he shot terribly (6-20) and committed seven turnovers. Then there’s the critical missed free shot, which could have tied the game at 96.
Luka Doncic clearly lacks his normal speed and lift. However, he is not helping matters with his shot selection. On an underappreciated backbreaking play in the fourth, Doncic pulled up for a long two early in the shot clock but missed, leading to a Thunder runout. OKC cashed in with a Wallace triple, resulting in a five-point swing.
Working from the post may assist Doncic obtain better positioning, reducing the amount of work required to get open. He enjoys the toughness of the game, and his court vision would allow him to locate open shooters or lob threats if the Thunder doubled him.
But it won’t matter if Kyrie Irving can’t find his groove. Game 4 was once again a struggle; if Doncic is not at his best, Irving must step up. Instead, he went 1-5 in the fourth quarter, unable to exchange baskets with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander despite returning to his normal positions. Irving felt the moment in the fourth, but he was unable to halt the bleeding as the Thunder took the lead late.
The Mavericks’ defense was able to seize control of the game despite the fact that their greatest players did not perform well. However, in order to compete with a youthful and hungry Thunder squad, Doncic and Irving must simply improve.
