The Dallas Mavericks hit the road for Game 1 of the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m.
Dallas is entering this series following a hard-fought six-game series against the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Thunder were able to defeat the New Orleans Pelicans in just four games.
This series will feature two players who finished in the top three of the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award, with Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander each likely to receive first-place votes.
Dallas has been led on the offensive side of the game by their star guards Doncic and Kyrie Irving, who have been some of the most impactful players for any team during the playoffs.
Doncic averaged an incredible 29.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 9.5 assists during the six-game series against the Los Angeles Clippers, while also averaging a team-high 42.5 minutes per game.
Irving followed closely behind Doncic in the scoring column with 26.5 points per game, but his efficiency stood out most as he shot 51.4% from the field and 44.9% from behind the three-point line.
The Mavericks will likely emphasize the defensive side of the ball in this series as the team attempts to slow down Gilgeous-Alexander, with two midseason acquisitions being the key to their defense.
Forward P.J. Washington and center Daniel Gafford, who were each acquired earlier this year in trades, started all six games in the first series and helped hold the Clippers to 43.4% shooting from the field and just 100.3 points per game.
Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd spoke about their impact since arriving in Dallas and said that the two have become “very important when you look at the culture of our team.”
“Our defense changed when they got here. They’re not going to complain. You don’t have to run a play for them,” he added, according to NBA.com.
Although the Mavericks will be playing this series without forward Maxi Kleber, who was diagnosed with a separated right shoulder, guard Tim Hardaway Jr. is expected to make his return from an ankle injury in Game 1.
Hardaway Jr. struggled in the one full game he played against the Clippers, scoring six points in 16 minutes, but was an important part of the team’s rotation throughout the regular season.
The 12-year veteran averaged 14.4 points while playing 26.8 minutes per game during the regular season and was often the first player Kidd went to off the bench.
Oklahoma City is not currently expected to be missing any key rotation players leading into the start of this series.
