The Oklahoma City Thunder were scoreboard-watching on Wednesday night, as a Dallas Mavericks loss to the Sacramento Kings would have practically placed the OKC Thunder into the NBA postseason. However, the Mavericks came back from down double-digits at home to upset the Kings.
In the first half, this Mavs team looked lifeless. The effort nor energy was there, and down 11 at the break, it looked like Dallas was heading into the locker room to say their goodbyes and break the huddle with a classing “Cancun on three.”
Instead, Kyrie Irving went scorched earth, Luka Doncic hit a key step-back triple, and even Christian Wood stepped up with 12 fourth-quarter points. As a result, the Mavericks won, saved their season, and now sit with the same record as the OKC Thunder (38-42).
The Dallas Mavericks beat the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, but that is a favor to the OKC Thunder.
The Oklahoma City Thunder earned the tiebreaker over the Dallas Mavericks by downing the Mavs two out of three times this season, including a come-from-behind overtime thriller. With the tiebreaker in hand and a Dallas loss against the Kings, the Thunder would be all but cemented in the NBA postseason. So how is a win over the beam team a favor to OKC?
As I mentioned on the Locked on Thunder Podcast, Dallas winning this game is great for this OKC Thunder squad. The Thunder are the second youngest team in NBA history, the youngest team in the league this season, and now they face a pivotal test.
Oklahoma City will play in a true must-win game tonight against the Utah Jazz on the road. How will the Thunder respond to this environment? The pressure mounting with each passing second on the clock in a game for their postseason lives.
Whether this team is or is not ready for this type of game, it is still a valuable experience to grow from. Despite shuffling in their last two games, on three games losing streak in totality, it appears the OKC Thunder are back on track despite their skid.
When looking at the big picture, it is clear that this one game does not make or break the trajectory of this franchise, but after coming this far and having the postseason in your grasp, you might as well take it.
With this Mavericks win, the Thunder can not be accused of “backing their way in” to make the postseason. It will be because they earned it. Had Dallas lost this game and that pressure is off OKC tonight, it would not have given this young team the same experience.
This team wants to make the postseason, and it is still all out in front of them heading into Utah on Thursday. So it is time for them to go and take it.