Dallas Mavericks bold predictions for 2024 Western Conference Semifinals vs. Thunder
07/05/2024 15:41
The Dallas Mavericks are coming off an impressive six-game demolition of the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are arguably the best one-two-scoring duo in the postseason, and it is very plausible for the Mavericks to advance deep this year. The trade deadline acquisitions have been incredible as Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington are performing at a fantastic level.
In the Western Conference Semifinals, Dallas will battle the up-and-coming Oklahoma City Thunder in what will be an intriguing six or seven-game tilt. These guys from the Thunder are inexperienced in the postseason, but they will not back down against the Mavericks. Doncic and Irving will have their work cut out for them due to the sensational defensive schemes of Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault.
The ancillary pieces must be superb in at least a couple of games to support their superstar duo. With the series starting on Tuesday night, these are a couple of bold predictions for the Dallas-OKC series.
Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving will outplay Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Let’s start off with a bang as the biggest Mavericks prediction in this hotly-contested series is that Kyrie Irving will outplay Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
It may be surprising for some that Doncic was not the initial name mentioned in this conversation, but it was evident in Round 1 that Irving’s heroics were integral to catapulting his squad to the next round.
Doncic is nursing a couple of lingering injuries, so it has slightly diminished his production and efficiency. In the clinching Game 6 victory at American Airlines Center, Irving was the differentiating factor as his phenomenal second-half performance sent the Clippers home packing. Moreover, Irving has excelled on the defensive side of the court as well as he limited James Harden to an inefficient performance.
Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II force Chet Holmgren to have at least two subpar games
When Chet Holmgren went on a slump in the regular season, it was due to the fact that bigs kept punishing his slender frame. Punishing him with the constant bumps and elbows in the shaded lane will limit his ability to roam and swat shots at the rim, thus there is a plausible chance for Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II to do a decent job of limiting Holmgren’s presence.
Similar to how the Minnesota Timberwolves are containing Nikola Jokic, the Mavericks can alternate several bigs to bother Holmgren. Additionally, the big man depth of the Thunder is fairly shallow, so the Mavericks can have the constant mentality of attacking the rim and forcing Holmgren to commit unnecessary fouls. Holmgren will have a couple of fabulous outings, but being a rookie on this stage may hinder his production just a tad bit.
Irving and Luka Doncic will combine for at least 80 points in two or more games
OKC is known to excel on the defensive side of the floor, but their first-round opponent is far below the scoring prowess of Doncic and Irving. There can be halves or quarters wherein they will struggle to convert easy shots, but the talent of these two athletes are just magnificent.
Since this will be a long series, there will be contests wherein Doncic and Irving are clicking, and the Thunder cannot do anything about it. The lethal tandem must be sensational if Dallas has any chance of advancing to the West Finals so tallying at least 80 markers for two outings will do the trick for their organization.
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