It was necessary to overcome a deficit of 17 units in the third quarter (60-77, 28th), and to come out alive from a stifling end to the match to achieve this, but the Dallas Mavericks overcame, at the last minute, Oklahoma City (117-116) on the night of Saturday to Sunday and thus eliminate the Thunder, number 1 in the Western Conference in the regular season, from the race for the NBA title.
Luka Doncic, author of a fourth triple-double in these play-offs (29 points on 9 out of 15 shooting including 4/6 at 3 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 7 lost balls) and his teammates avoid each other a difficult Game 7 which would have been held in Oklahoma, and thus qualified (4 wins to 2) for the second time in three years, in the Western Conference final. In 2022, they lost (1-4) against future champion Golden State. This time they will find either the reigning champion Denver, or Rudy Gobert’s pack, the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are playing a decisive Game 7 on the night of Sunday to Monday (2 a.m. French time).
Essential in the series (17.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 47% at 3 points), less visible during game 5 lost by Dallas and at the start of game 6, PJ Washington, arrived in February from Charlotte, is out of its box in the money-time.
Washington decisive in the final moments
The interior scored its 9 points in the last four minutes of the match and caused the most important fault, served by Doncic at 3 points, 2 seconds 5 from the buzzer, while the Thunder had regained control (116-115 ) on an alley-oop launched by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (36 points, 8 assists), concluded by Chet Holmgren (21 points but only 3 rebounds). Washington scored its first two shots and intentionally missed the third to run the clock, pushing Jalen Williams (22 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists) to a shot from the other end of the field which did not find the target.
Oklahoma City lost the fight under the baskets (47 rebounds to 31, 14 offensive to 7), a sector dominated by rookie Dereck Lively (15 catches), who proved essential in defense and in deterrence. On the Mavericks side, Derrick Jones Jr and Kyrie Irving each added 22 points. The latter, who fell into the arms of Doncic after the gong, stretches an astonishing series.
14-0
Kyrie Irving remains undefeated (14-0) in his career in matches that could conclude a series of play-offs. The former Cleveland fullback, 2016 champion with the Cavaliers, returns to the conference final for the first time since 2017.
“Luka (Doncic) is one of the best players in the world. But sometimes we lose sight of the fact that everything should not rest on him, greeted Dallas coach Jason Kidd, happy to have seen his leader trust his teammate PJ Washington in the decisive action of the match. One man cannot take you to the top alone. You need a team behind it. And today, he has one, in whom he believes. »
