Mavericks move on to the next game.
Dallas defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 6 on Friday to advance to the Western Conference semifinal round. Jason Kidd led the Mavericks past the first round for the second time in his three years as coach.
The next opponent is a familiar one.
The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder will have a week's rest before the Mavericks travel 200 miles north to Paycom Center for Game 1 on Tuesday night.
The four Hall of Fame candidates won't stand in the way of Dallas' hopes of continuing its first playoff berth under Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. This time it's a young and exciting Thunder team, headlined by fellow MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
So who has the advantage? We bring you the preliminary scouting report for the second round of the series.
previous meeting
This will be the fourth time the Mavericks and Thunder will meet in the playoffs. Dallas defeated young Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden 4-1 in the 2011 Western Conference Finals. A year later, Oklahoma City defeated reigning NBA champion Dallas in four games en route to the team's latest NBA Finals appearance. In 2016, the Thunder defeated the Mavericks 4-1 in the first round of the series.
The Mavericks went 1-3 against the Thunder in the regular season, suffering their first loss at home on December 2, 126-120. On February 10, the Mavericks defeated the Thunder 146-111 in the AAC in the first game with trade acquisitions P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. On March 14, Dallas lost the second game of the back-to-back against Oklahoma City, 126-119, with Luka Doncic sidelined. It was one of the losses for the Mavericks, who had a meaningless 16-2 record until the final two games of the season.
The final regular season game between the Mavericks and Thunder could be excluded from this discussion. Dallas rested eight rotation players, including Doncic and Irving, while the Thunder played with a full lineup. The 49-point victory earned Oklahoma City the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
Staff
Let's start with the head of the snake. Gilgeous-Alexander, the league's third-leading scorer behind Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, has put the Thunder in an advantageous position in his fifth season with the team. He's a 3-level scorer who thrives in the mid-range, but can also score with his 3-point shot. The Gilgeous-Alexander has a clever handle package for easy access to the paint.
The Mavericks used Derrick Jones Jr. as Paul George's primary defender, with Irving and Derek Lively II taking turns guarding James Harden. It wouldn't be surprising to see Jones, Irving, or Lively guard Gilgeous-Alexander.
Another threat for Dallas will be Thunder center Chet Holmgren. He was a lanky 7-foot rookie center who appeared in all 82 games after missing his rookie season due to injury. His ability to put the ball on the floor and connect from beyond the arc poses a different challenge than the traditional L.A. post centers used by Ivica Zubac and Mason Plumlee.
In a series like this one, Daniel Gafford may be able to recapture his regular season success because he doesn't have to guard a big big man like Zubac. His 234-pound frame would give him an immediate advantage over the 195-pound Holmgren.
Jaylen Williams, Luguentz Dort, Josh Guidi and Richardson's Kayson Wallace round out the rest of the team's core. Williams, a versatile second-year wing, scored 27 points on March 14 against the Mavericks.
Dallas will need production from outside of Doncic and Irving, especially Jones, Gafford, Lively, and P.J. Washington. These four set the tone on the defensive side of the ball, and when combined with the superstars' natural offensive skill sets, Dallas becomes a more formidable contender.
Who has the upper hand?
In particular, Oklahoma City, which is fully rested, is likely to have an advantage. He will not travel for 10 days before hopping on a plane for the Thunder's game against the Mavericks at American Airlines Center on Saturday.
Dallas will enter the series at shortstop without Maxi Kleber, who suffered a complete dislocation of the AC joint in his right shoulder on Friday night. There is no timetable for his return, nor is the return schedule for Tim Hardaway Jr. and Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who both have ankle sprains.
The Mavs took advantage of an injured Clippers team without Kawhi Leonard, but they will have their hands full with a fully healthy Thunder team.
Staff writer Brad Townsend contributed to this report.
Read more Mavericks coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
