The Dallas Mavericks will take on the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. CT to officially begin the second round of the series. The NBA version of the Red River Rivalry, the popular college football contest between Texas and Oklahoma, will be an entertaining series.
The Mavericks and Thunder are destined to have a long and entertaining series as Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving take on the trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jaylen Williams and Chet Holmgren. Both teams are playing solid defense and it will be a tough battle between them.
On Monday, Inside the NBA The staff previewed the series and even challenged their predictions.
Read more: ESPN analysts disagree on Dallas Mavericks vs. OKC Thunder Western Semifinal series
“I'm very impressed with OKC,” Shaquille O'Neal said on the show. “I expect OKC to win this series easily…I know Dallas has two dynamic scorers, but the way this young team is playing, they connect well. I think they have a mission, and when the team is on a roll, it's very difficult to accomplish that mission. ”
This is a bold claim for O'Neal, who is an incredibly funny on-air personality. And to be fair, it's hard to argue that any team remaining in the NBA Playoffs doesn't have a mission, and certainly even a Mavericks team that just beat a thriving Clippers team that is currently incredibly good. playing.
O'Neal claimed the series would be easy for Oklahoma City, but Charles Barkley apparently disagreed, choosing the Thunder as the favorites to win the series.
“I don't think it's going to be easy. I think OKC will win, but I think it's going to be a six-, seven-game series. I think Luka and Kyrie are playing at a high level,” Barkley said. “I think it's going to be a great series. I can't wait to get started, but I'm going to be in OKC.”
Kenny Smith then followed up the two analysts by claiming that the Mavericks would win the series.
“If there are four games that are within five points, I would go to the Mavericks,” Smith said. “The dynamic ability of Luka and Kyrie to not only score the ball and make shots in clutch, clutch moments, but to make the shots they want. I wonder if Oklahoma City has three players who can do that. I don't know. I believe.'' It's a seven-game series. ”
The committee also claimed that Thunder guard Lou Dort would wear Doncic out, and said Charles Barkley might be an easier matchup for Dort than Brandon Ingram. And Ernie Johnson finally spoke up and agreed that the Mavericks would win the long series.
Both teams will be able to debate on the court starting at 8:30pm CST on Tuesday.
Read more: Dallas Mavericks bring back Tim Hardaway Jr. from ankle injury before Game 1 against OKC Thunder
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