OKLAHOMA CITY — Luka Doncic limped across the courtroom, typically grimacing as he performed via a sprained proper knee and a bloodied left knee.
His capturing stroke was unaffected.
He had 29 factors, 10 rebounds and 7 assists to assist the Dallas Mavericks beat the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder 119-110 on Thursday evening and even the Western Convention semifinals at one win apiece.
“I believe that was one of many hardest video games I’ve needed to play,” Doncic mentioned. “I’m battling on the market attempting to do my finest to assist the staff win.”
The Thunder held Doncic to 19 factors on 6-for-19 capturing in Sport 1.
He made 11 of 21 discipline targets in Sport 2.
All through, he had frequent conversations with the officers — sufficient to attract the ire of Thunder followers, who booed him and directed chants his approach.
“That’s nice for me,” he mentioned. “I adore it.”
P.J. Washington added 29 factors and 11 rebounds and made 7 of 11 3-pointers for the Mavericks.
He averaged 12.9 factors within the common season.
“I assumed P.J. set the tone,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd mentioned. “We performed via him a bit bit within the publish and I believe that sparked him. He was large for us tonight.”
Kyrie Irving added 9 factors and 11 assists for the No. 5-seeded Mavericks, who host Sport 3 on Saturday after taking home-court benefit from the top-seeded Thunder.
Doncic expects the Thunder to be ready.
“They’ve nice gamers,” Doncic mentioned. “They’ve nice chemistry, nice staff. And it’s going to be powerful. It’s going to be a struggle until the tip. So, simply a lot respect to Oklahoma (Metropolis), but it surely’s large time we received this recreation.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 factors, 12 rebounds and eight assists, and Jalen Williams added 20 factors for the Thunder, who misplaced for the primary time within the postseason and allowed greater than 100 factors for the primary time of their six playoff video games.
The Mavericks performed with desperation, similar to they did within the first spherical after they beat the Los Angeles Clippers in Sport 2 and took residence courtroom from them.
“I really feel prefer it was a must-win recreation for us,” Washington mentioned. “And people video games, I really feel like are the place we play our greatest.”
Doncic made his first three pictures and scored eight factors within the first three minutes to assist Dallas take a 13-2 lead.
He scored 16 factors on 6-for-8 capturing within the first quarter, however the Thunder had the play of the quarter.
Oklahoma Metropolis inbounded from beneath the Dallas purpose with 1.4 seconds left.
Jaylin Williams threw it lengthy for Chet Holmgren, who caught the ball whereas defended by two Mavericks in visitors, circled and hit an extended 2-point jumper to chop Dallas’ result in 36-32.
Dallas led 68-62 at halftime.
Each groups made 25 of 47 pictures earlier than the break, however Dallas made 12 3s to Oklahoma Metropolis’s six.
Oklahoma Metropolis tied it at 70 on a baseline jumper by Gilgeous-Alexander two minutes into the second half.
Aaron Wiggins, who began the second half instead of Josh Giddey, scored from in shut to present the Thunder a 72-71 lead, their first benefit of the sport.
Dallas rallied, largely with Doncic resting.
After he returned, his lob for a dunk by Derrick Jones Jr. put the Mavericks up 99-85 late within the third quarter, and so they took a 99-89 lead into the fourth.
A strong two-handed putback dunk by Williams lower Dallas’ result in 99-95, however the Mavericks responded.
Doncic took benefit of a display screen by Dereck Vigorous II and hit a 3-pointer to place Dallas up 104-95 with 9 minutes remaining.
The Thunder by no means acquired nearer than 5 factors the remainder of the best way.
“We’ve acquired a very good opponent that performed rather well tonight,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned. “We tried to scrap again into it. I assumed our effort was actually good tonight. I assumed we tried to gear it up a pair completely different instances. I assumed the place we left one thing to be desired was execution.”