That was awful
The Dallas Mavericks lost 120-114 to the Oklahoma City Thunder. This was a frustrating game that the Mavericks should have won easily. The Mavericks have now given up consecutive games to really bad teams that they simply cannot afford to lose.
Here are the stats to know.
1.0: Number of seconds between the in bound pass and Kenrich Williams layup to tie the game with 7.5 seconds left
Luka Doncic has been a much improved defender since he came back from Covid protocols but the Thunder hunted him tonight. It is simply inexcusable to give up that easy of a shot in that situation. There are many other factors which contributed to the loss but solid defense on that possession likely results in a win.
3: Number of points Dorian Finney-Smith scored in 43 minutes
Finney-Smith is still a good player. One game does not a season make. But an every game starter for a team that fancies itself as a contender simply has to provide more production. Finney-Smith has seen his shooting slide recently and the team really needs to correct that.
6: Number of threes Lou Dort and Tre Mann made
There was a lot of talk about the Mavericks three point defense being luck during the winning streak. The pendulum has swung to completely the opposite side. The Mavericks were neither as good as they appeared at their peak or as bad as they appear now.
23: Number of points for Reggie Bullock
Bullock had a solid game including a potential game winning three if not for the defensive gaffe mentioned earlier. The better Bullock plays, the better the Mavericks chances of being a dangerous team in the playoffs.
Overall, this was just a really bad and frustrating loss. The Mavericks will need to get over it quickly as they have a matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.
Here’s our latest episode of Mavs Moneyball After Dark. If you’re unable to see the embed below, click here to be taken to the podcast directly. Or go to your favorite podcast app and search Mavs Moneyball Podcast.