The NBA regular season ends in just over a week, and Dallas Mavericks fans are left speculating about who they will face in the playoffs.
Dallas is 45-30 this year and all signs point to them taking on the LA Clippers if they put in the work.
The Clippers will be a tough matchup for Dallas, but Mavs fans are starting to consider another possible matchup for Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving's team ahead of the first round.
It's overwhelmingly clear that Mavs fans want the team to face the Oklahoma City Thunder at some point in the playoffs, and there are several reasons why. The first and most obvious reason is that the Mavs will be a tough matchup for the Thunder.
Which of the following teams would you prefer the Mavericks to play in the first round of the playoffs?
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) March 28, 2024
Dallas' overall size may be too much for them, but they have a better fit with Oklahoma City than any other top seed in the Western Conference. For Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively II, the only competition inside is Chet Holmgren, and Dallas is much bigger than the Thunder, so they should be able to get to the rim easily.
Dallas also has plenty of versatile defenders who can throw to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and they will likely give him trouble throughout the series.
Another fundamental reason Mavs fans are eager to play against the Thunder is the ongoing debate among fans about who is better between Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander. Even though Gilgeous-Alexander had an MVP-level season, Doncic has proven time and time again that he has the upper hand over him, and this debate is likely to continue until the end.
The last time Dallas and Thunder met, they lost by seven points on the road without Doncic. Irving dropped 36 points in this game, perhaps more than Gilgeous-Alexander, but it wasn't enough.
The rivalry between the Mavericks and Thunder dates back to the 2010-2011 season, when Dallas defeated the Thunder in six games to advance to the NBA Finals, but Oklahoma City got revenge by defeating Dallas in the 2012 NBA Playoffs.
Oklahoma City and Dallas faced off again in 2016, but the Mavs lost in five games. Dallas' time for revenge is now, and fans clearly want to give Doncic and Irving a chance to beat the young prospects in Oklahoma City.
Check out the latest information on Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, and the Dallas Mavericks this season as they prepare for the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
