Game 3 Playoffs 2024: Oklahoma City Thunder (1-1) vs. Dallas Mavericks (1-1)

[rocky164]

Tough, tough game. 

Didn’t get the friendly whistles I was hoping for, but gutted it out.

Despite shooting only 43%, and being outshot by OKC, they won.

It was defense!!

Not only did we not get friendly whistles OKC did!  Lot’s of fouls uncalled on both sides.  Really physical game but the push off by Chet on Timmy ending in a 3 point play, 2 elbows to the face by SGA, one not even reviewed. And Dort should have fouled out midway through the third.  He fouled at least 3 times on 2 consecutive possessions but refs were unwilling to call the 4th foul at the time.  BUT WE STILL WON!!  Gutty performance all around.  Great win!!

[SwisherPrice]

Thank you OKC for the hacking strategy! With more than a 1-score lead, all Lively needed to do was split them and he did even better by going 5/8 in the 4th quarter. It slowed the game down and forced OKC to play a half court offense, which they are not comfortable with.

[Chicagojk]

Game of tag breaks out in game 3

https://x.com/MavsStan41/status/1789414231206477909

[Jakeospikez]

Gotta thank OKC for giving Lively tons of playoff pressure FT experience. 4 straight at the end.

[Chicagojk]

Chet is going to be a heck of a player. I don’t think Lively will be quite as good but they are going to have a lot of battles in the future. Lively is a year and a half younger. I don’t think he will ever have the guard skills Chet will have. But they are going to have some wars.

[Chicagojk]

Great leadership

https://x.com/mikeacurtis2/status/178942...33318?s=61&t=-aAylloVlVRI2-DRvoajoA

[The Jom]

Just remember…when your team is on the short end of the stick, the other teams fans are saying that is the worst officiated game ever.  That is happening now in OKc boards.  Our fans do it too, but find a loser of a close game and you can bet the fans will blame the refs

Doesn’t make the fans wrong.

[omahen]

Dallas Warriors!!! Awesome win in a true playoff game. Battled really hard, especially in the second one.

Defense was again phenomenal. First time they really stopped SGA in the second half. Other than Joe in the first half, Mavs really defended the other OKC guys well. I thought Luka played great all things considered. They were trying to attack him all game and he defended well, especially in the second half. Also some great help defense. Luka can't shoot well but he is not forcing it, he is giving it to other guys and they were able to score, especially PJ who was lights out in the first half. Luka had a key steal in the fourth. Lively was the head of phenomenal defense and did good job in the hack a Lively moments. After starting 1-4 he nailed next 4 and essentially built Mavs a solid lead with his great defense on the other end. Kyrie took responsibility in the fourth and delivered some tough shots. Luka had a key steal and finished some not so easy fastbreaks superbly. Green had a story of two halves. Terrible first one but did good job on both sides in the second one. THJ with an overall forgetable game, but he hit two very important ones in the second half. Exum is making me lose it like everyone else here. He looks so scared. Come on man, its game 9 of the playoffs. Start playing already! His defense is good and he defended well in his stint, but he is so bad (scared) on offense it is painful to watch. Mavs could really need him, but at some point Kidd might just stop trying.

OKC coach losing his challenge early (again) was huge. Shai was phenomenal in the first half, but Mavs wore him down and played some really excellent help defense and then quick rotations in the second half. Other then Joe (Mavs did a good job on him in the second half), rest of OKC didn't have it today.

Rebounding and hustle won today and will continue to win games even when offense is not stellar. But I am sure Mavs will have a couple of good offensive games that will win them the series. Kudos again for the fight. Mavs in 6!

[The Jom]

Chet is going to be a heck of a player.  I don’t think Lively will be quite as good but they are going to have a lot of battles in the future.  Lively is a year and a half younger.  I don’t think he will ever have the guard skills Chet will have.  But they are going to have some wars.

Lively is going to turn into a guy Chet can’t guard. And not vice versa.

[omahen]

Game of tag breaks out in game 3

https://x.com/MavsStan41/status/1789414231206477909

This is one of the funniest things I have seen  Missed it live while focusing on PJ

[Mavs2021]

Chet is going to be a heck of a player.  I don’t think Lively will be quite as good but they are going to have a lot of battles in the future.  Lively is a year and a half younger.  I don’t think he will ever have the guard skills Chet will have.  But they are going to have some wars.

It´s funny what a different perception I have of Chet. I think he´s an excellent defensive center around the rim. Pretty strong already, despite being rail thin, but much like Porzingis all that other stuff is just a media mirage (at the moment). If you chase him off the 3pt line you can easily force turnovers, when he puts it on the floor. And he´s not a good 3pt shooter under proper defensive pressure.

He´s 14-24 from 2pt range (58%).  3-13 (23%) from 3pt range in this series. 

He´s 29-48 from 2pt range (60%), 10-36 (28%) from 3pt range for the play-offs.

He has 3.0 BPG, but also  2.5 TOPG. I hope the Thunder use him like a Porzingis for the rest of his career. No matter how great your handles are, you are still 7´1 going into traffic with smaller guys poking at the ball. As a lob threat inside, he´s much more dangerous than as a floor spacer.

[LukaMVP]

next game OKC will fight even harder like the clippers series and we need to stay focused to prevent the young OKC team from changing the trend of this series. PJ is brilliant again I think he's a legit third star on this team. OKC are getting backdoor swept imho, mavs in 5.

[Winter]

Here's Jason's "Hoops Tonight" on THIS game already. Game 3.

Good analysis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVlnD5LyulU

[OBX Maverick]

Gotta thank OKC for giving Lively tons of playoff pressure FT experience. 4 straight at the end.

The more he shot, the more he got in a rhythm. Amazing to see a young man grow up before your eyes!!

Today my oldest son is graduating from UNC Chapel Hill. Between ceremonies we went to eat at a restaurant on Franklin St where we were able to watch the game in it’s entirety in front of a bunch of loud people who could care less! It was funny to see their faces when we yelled at the screen! Not sure I can remember a more gritty playoff performance than what I just witnessed! Now as I sit in the stands at Kenan Stadium, I can sit back and relax as I watch the main ceremony!

Cheers to you all!  Go Mavs!

[omahen]

The more he shot, the more he got in a rhythm. Amazing to see a young man grow up before your eyes!!

Today my oldest son is graduating from UNC Chapel Hill. Between ceremonies we went to eat at a restaurant on Franklin St where we were able to watch the game in it’s entirety in front of a bunch of loud people who could care less! It was funny to see their faces when we yelled at the screen! Not sure I can remember a more gritty playoff performance than what I just witnessed! Now as I sit in the stands at Kenan Stadium, I can sit back and relax as I watch the main ceremony!

Cheers to you all!  Go Mavs!

Congrats to your son. I guess Mavs gave him the gift

[windjc]

The more he shot, the more he got in a rhythm. Amazing to see a young man grow up before your eyes!!

Today my oldest son is graduating from UNC Chapel Hill. Between ceremonies we went to eat at a restaurant on Franklin St where we were able to watch the game in it’s entirety in front of a bunch of loud people who could care less! It was funny to see their faces when we yelled at the screen! Not sure I can remember a more gritty playoff performance than what I just witnessed! Now as I sit in the stands at Kenan Stadium, I can sit back and relax as I watch the main ceremony!

Cheers to you all!  Go Mavs!

I graduated from UNC-CH as well.

[MarkAguirreWrathofGod]

https://twitter.com/MavsStan41/status/17...1206477909

[Luka77]

https://twitter.com/MavsStan41/status/17...1206477909

Seeing two seven footers playing a game of tag is kind of amusing. 

[MarkAguirreWrathofGod]

Seeing two seven footers playing a game of tag is kind of amusing. 

‘Tis indeed  

[donzingis38]

That was pure comedy from Chet chasing Lively like that. Couldnt stop laughing!