The Oklahoma City Thunder will face the Dallas Mavericks in Game 2 on Thursday night at Paycom Center. The Thunder dominated at home in Game 1, winning by 22 points and setting the tone for the beginning of this series. It was the Thunder's third straight win against Dallas this season, giving them four of their five wins overall. This series could still go either way, making this Game 2 matchup extremely important, especially with Game 3 moving to Dallas. With fewer and fewer matches being held per night, this is definitely one that fans will want to keep an eye on.
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Dallas is looking for a bounce back.
Dallas is used to losing series openers. He was down 0-1 on the road in the first round, but fought his way to a series win in the next six games. But doing that against the Thunder may be difficult, especially considering OKC's strength at home this season. Dallas has had its own success on the road, winning 27 games both on the road and at home, and should feel confident turning the page in Game 1. Tuesday night's loss ended a four-win streak in five games for Dallas, which ended the season last month as one of the hottest teams in the league. A trip to Texas is just around the corner, and a win here could definitely change the course of this series.
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Despite the wins, injuries continue to be an issue for this team. Luka Doncic's name has gotten the most attention and continues to be listed as a likely player, as it would be shocking if he didn't go. But Maxi Kleber was left out, cutting into a frontcourt that was already thin this series.
Dallas' success late in the regular season was due to their league-best 3-point shooting percentage. In Game 1, they only shot 34 percent from 3-point range, but they will need to improve on that number if they are to have a chance at Game 2. Doncic and Kyrie Irving dominated the Clippers in the first round, but will need to find it again against an Oklahoma City backcourt that struggles defensively at times. The frontcourt is also a big concern for Dallas, but if they can find their shooting touch it might be enough to even this series.
Thunder tries success at home
The Thunder continued to perform well during the regular season, racking up wins, and the playoffs were no different. They dominated the Pelicans in the opener and quickly took on Dallas in Game 1. This group's confidence should be high, having won three straight against Dallas since the regular season. They have a 36-8 record at Paycom Center, and a 2-0 series lead would be a big one as the series heads south after this game. Despite their inexperience, the Thunder continue to prove people wrong and will look to continue that mindset into Thursday night.
One of the key aspects of Oklahoma City's success this season has been its ability to stay healthy. They once again have no players on the injury report and expect to have a full complement of players. The stability of the rotation has clearly paid off this season, and that will likely be a big advantage in Game 2 and beyond.
The Thunder are one of the most efficient teams on both sides of the ball, and they showed off their defensive prowess in Game 1. By slowing down Dallas' 3-pointers, they were able to control the momentum. On their own offense, it doesn't hurt that they have a huge advantage in the frontcourt with Chet Holmgren. Add in a unique offense that ranks first in 3-point percentage, and both sides have a strategy to continue finding success against Dallas.
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After a dominating win in Game 1, it's hard not to imagine the Thunder winning easily in Game 2 of the series. This is one of the best defenses Dallas has seen in a while, and it showed in Game 1 as well when they struggled to shoot the ball. That is not expected to suddenly change in the second game. Oklahoma City has a huge advantage when it comes to three-point shooting itself, and when you add in one of the best home field advantages in the NBA, Oklahoma City should feel like they have a great chance to win this game. is. The Thunder continue that winning streak, winning twice last month against Dallas, winning four in a row and covering the spread in eight of their last nine games.
Prediction: Lightning (-5)
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Defense has led in the playoffs, and if Game 1 was indicative of the style of this series, Game 2 is sure to be a scoring battle. The Thunder clearly have a game plan to make it difficult for Doncic and Irving to score and force other players to succeed. For the Thunder, they seem content to slow down a bit, especially at home. The under had a hit on Tuesday and has hit in each of the last two meetings between these two. On top of that, Oklahoma City as a whole is on a three-game hitting streak, and there is little doubt that the under will hit in Game 2.
Prediction: Less than 218.5
