Mavericks advance to the finals after defeating Thunder in a thrilling game.
In a dramatic game, the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 117-116 thanks to two late free throws from PJ Washington, which advanced them to the NBA Western Conference Finals.
With just over a minute left, the Mavericks overcame a 75-58 deficit in the third quarter to take a 115-110 lead before the top-seeded Thunder scored six straight points.
With 2.5 seconds left, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fouled Washington when he was trying to make a three-point shot.
He purposefully missed the third free shot after making the first two.
Jalen Williams’ long-range attempt was well off, and the Mavericks won the best-of-seven series 4-2, despite the Thunder grabbing the rebound.
In the conference finals, they will play either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Denver Nuggets, the reigning NBA champions, who square off in a decisive game seven on Sunday.
The winner of the seven-game series advances to the June 6 NBA Finals.
Luka Doncic has averaged 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in his three years with the Mavericks, who have made it to the conference finals twice.
Kyrie Irving of Dallas commented, “It feels amazing to finish the series.”
“You don’t want to be down 17 in a game that is about to end.
“We had to react the same way we’ve responded the entire season: by playing tough defense, going out in transition, and having faith that our speed would allow us to get back into the game.”
For the Thunder, Gilgeous-Alexande scored 36 points. “If I had the moment back, I wouldn’t have fouled him; I would have let him make the shot or not.”
Oklahoma City Thunder
Skip Bayless lashes out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after the Thunder season was lost due to a foul
While it would be unreasonable to hold him solely responsible, he failed to act when it mattered most.
It goes without saying that one of the most contentious sports analysts in the business is Skip Bayless. He doesn’t hesitate to voice his opinions and tell it how it is. Even while he occasionally makes mistakes and says things that some find offensive, no one can deny that he has the courage to express things that many others would find courageous.
The FS1 commentator recently posted on social media, once known as Twitter but now known as X, regarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander following the Thunder’s Saturday night loss to the Dallas Mavericks. This time, he was direct and to the point.
“SGA JUST CANNOT FOUL PJ WASHINGTON ON A 3-POINT SHOT, AS GREAT AS HE PLAYED,” stated Bayless. “CAN’T PUT HIS COACH IN A DESPERATE POSITION OF LOSE THE TIMEOUT THAT COULD’VE GIVEN OKC A GOOD LOOK TO WIN AND CHALLENGING WHAT OBVIOUSLY WAS A FOUL.”
He was speaking of a play in which he was involved that concluded the Oklahoma City Thunders season. After Luka Doncic drove and then kicked out to P. J. Washington in the corner, the score was OKC 116 and the Mavs 115.
With 2.1 seconds remaining, Washington pumps faking getting a foul on Gilgeous-Alexander, who had over-pursued as he closed out. Washington made two free throws to give his team the victory and to effectively end the game.
