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In Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs semifinals, the Mavericks host the Thunder. In the first quarter of the game, the two teams played inseparable, the score was always tight, Irving played well to help the Mavericks take the lead, the Thunder hit a three-point response, and at the end of the first quarter, the Mavericks led the Thunder 26-23. In the second quarter of the competition, the Thunder first scored 6 points in a row to erase the difference, and then played 7-0 in the middle, and the Mavericks also scored 5 points in a row to respond, and then the two teams fell into a tug-of-war, and at halftime, the Thunder led the Mavericks 52-51.
Yibian fought again, the Thunder continued to hit an 11-0 offensive to expand the difference to double digits, and the Mavericks responded with a wave of 16-0 offensive to regain the advantage, and at the end of the third quarter, the Mavericks led the Thunder 82-78. In the final quarter, Irving stood up and hit key shots in a row to help the Mavericks keep the lead, and in the face of the Thunder's continuous pursuit, Irving hit a difficult throw at a critical moment to expand the difference to 5 points, and with Jalen Williams' three-point miss, the game was decided. In the end, the Mavericks narrowly defeated the Thunder 105-101 to take a 2-1 lead.
Thunder player stats: Alexander 31 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 blocks, Jalen Williams 16 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists, Chet Holmgren 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks, Isaiah Joe 13 points, Giddey 9 points.
Mavericks player stats: PJ Washington 27 points and 6 rebounds, Doncic 22 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists, Irving 22 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists, Lively II 12 points and 8 rebounds, Gafford 8 points and 5 rebounds, Hardaway Jr. 8 points.
Seven facts that have to be admitted:
1. Irving, the king of the final quarter, played 40 minutes, shot 10 of 17, 2 of 6 three-pointers, and scored 22 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists. Irving's hard solution ability is too strong, as always, the king of the last quarter, the first three shots in the last quarter opened the score, and the last throw killed the game, I have to say that in the playoff experience, Irving is still a big cut of the young people of the Thunder at a high level, and it has to be Irving at the critical moment, he is still one of the top players in the league, and he never softens at critical moments.
2. Doncic worked hard, played 39 minutes, shot 7 of 17, 1 of 4 three-pointers, and scored 22 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists. Doncic's offensive efficiency today is average, but he played really hard, the fourth quarter was really defensive, he played with injuries and was respectable, he was fouled 10 times and still stood up again and again to help the team, he really wanted to win, his attitude today is what fans expect from him, the offense and defense are full of fighting spirit, today is a real team leader, I hope to stay healthy.
3. PJ Washington played two consecutive C games, played 40 minutes, shot 11-of-23 from the field, 5-of-12 from three-point range, and scored 27 points and 6 rebounds. Washington has become the Mavericks' third giant, his defense is tough, the mismatch is resolute, the three-point is accurate, he deserves to be the top 3D, he is really easy to use, he is really activated, the best trade of the Mavericks this season, but the performance in key moments is a bit high, and it needs to continue to precipitate.
4. Alexander, played 42 minutes, shot 10 of 23, 2 of 3 three-pointers, and scored 31 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 blocks. Alexander played flawless in the first three quarters, integrating offense and defense, the mid-range shot was really stable, and he felt like he was going to score at the beginning, but he was one of six in the last quarter, and his performance at the critical moment was too poor.
5. Jalen Williams was decent, playing 38 minutes, shooting 5-of-12 from the field and scoring 16 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists. Jalen Williams is still an offensive and defensive one, and his efficiency is also very high, but he was invisible throughout the final quarter, and he didn't dare to shoot in the open position several times, and finally made a three-point shot that was a bit outrageous, and when the team couldn't open the situation, he needed to impact the basket, and he was not confident enough to play, perhaps because of injuries, hoping to stay healthy and continue to grow.
6, Chet hot pot manager, played 34 minutes, shot 5 of 9 and got 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks. Chet's offensive desire is not high, but he has a strong frame protection on the court, and his defense is really good, without him, the Thunder defense is several grades worse, and the data does not reflect his role in the Thunder, but in the face of the Mavericks' online defense, there is no big empty three-point shooting opportunity, she needs to attack more on the inside, and her independent offensive ability needs to be strengthened.
7. The Mavericks relied on the key play of the Eastern European combination to narrowly defeat the Thunder, and the series led 2-1. Irving is worthy of being the king of the last quarter, the more critical the more hard, the more reassuring it is to have him, Doncic's offense and defense are full, his attitude to fight with injuries is worthy of recognition, Washington's performance is becoming more and more stable, he has become the team's stable third scoring point with offense and defense, and the Mavericks deserve this victory. The Thunder are still too young, the first three quarters of the good situation, but in the final quarter Alexander and Jay Wei failed to stand up to harvest the game, they still need to pay some tuition on the road to growth, this round of the series is really likely to hit a tie-break, and the Mavericks have more hope of advancing to the Western Conference finals.