Regular season record
The 2023-2024 NBA regular season has ended, and the Thunder and Mavericks are at the top of the West, respectively. With Alexander's excellent dominance and the tacit cooperation of the whole team, the Thunder finally finished in the West with an impressive record of 57 wins and 25 losses. Alexander averaged 30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists per game, and was so dominant that he deservedly won the title of MVP of the regular season this season. In addition to Alexander, the Thunder also have Jalen Williams, a 19-point hot outside player, and the offensive system that blossoms inside and outside makes opponents unguardable.
On the other hand, the Mavericks are in the West with a 50-32 record, and although they are slightly inferior in the rankings, their strength should not be underestimated. The Mavericks' offensive firepower this season has relied heavily on a strong combination of Doncic and Irving. Doncic averaged 28 points and 10 rebounds per game, and controlled the power inside; Irving, on the other hand, is an outside shooter who averages 25 points per game. The two have excellent singles strength, and working side by side makes the Mavericks' offensive firepower very ferocious. The two teams met three times in the regular season, with the Thunder holding the upper hand with a 2-1 record.
Comparison of the strength of the two teams
As you can see from the regular season record and player statistics, the Thunder and the Mavericks are both teams with extraordinary strength, but there are some differences in specific characteristics. The Thunder's strength lies in being efficient on offense and excellent defensively. In addition to the inside-outside combination of Alexander and Williams, the Thunder also have a number of reliable assistants on the lineup, veterans like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, as well as young Jalen Green and others, making the Thunder's offensive system very balanced and orderly. The defensive end is the biggest advantage of the Thunder, Alexander leads the way, and the interior defense is as solid as a rock; On the outside, there are good defenders like Malcolm Brogdon and Micah Bridges, making the Thunder's defensive system tight and efficient.
The Mavericks' offense is more reliant on the one-on-one ability of Doncic and Irving. The two can contribute an average of 50+ points per game, and they are indeed one of the strongest offensive combinations in the NBA. But the rest of the Mavericks' players are relatively mediocre, such as Chris Middleton, Tim Hardaway and others are not very good, making the Mavericks' offense too reliant on two-man singles and lack systematization. The defensive end is also a weakness of the Mavericks, Doncic and Irving are not defensive players, and there are some holes in the interior and outside defense. So although the Mavericks' outside firepower is ferocious, their overall strength is slightly inferior to that of the Thunder.
Playoff prospects
The regular season record and strength comparison have initially shown that the Thunder and Mavericks are equal in the Western Conference semifinals in this playoffs, and it will be a difficult battle who can finally break through. Both teams went through the first round of the playoffs with a six-game record, with the Thunder beating the Timberwolves and the Mavericks beating the Clippers. This round of the series is bound to be extremely intense, and it is likely to enter the battle of the seven.
For the Thunder, their biggest advantage is the tight defensive system, Alexander's defensive dominance and the contributions of Brogdon and others make the Thunder have a clear advantage on the defensive end. However, there are some hidden dangers on the offensive end, relying too much on the individual abilities of Alexander and Williams, and once the two are not in good hands, the entire offensive system will be greatly affected. So the Thunder need other players to step up further on the offensive end and spread the defensive pressure.
The biggest advantage of the Mavericks is the ferocity of offensive firepower, and the singles ability of Doncic and Irving is unmatched. But the defensive end is their shortcoming, and there are holes in the defense inside and outside. Therefore, the Mavericks need to make adjustments on the defensive end and try to limit the opponent's offense, otherwise it will be difficult to defeat the Thunder on offense alone.
Judging from the characteristics of the two teams, the biggest highlight of this round of the series will be the matchup between Alexander and Doncic. Both are the top players in the NBA today, and who can stand up at critical moments and control the rhythm of the game will directly determine the outcome of the game. In addition to this, the coaching and bench play of both teams will also be decisive factors. Thunder coach Bill Donovan and Mavericks coach Jason Kidd are both veterans with good coaching, and their tactical deployment will directly affect the team's tactics. The performance of the bench is a matter of depth in the team, and who can contribute more chances to win.
The 2024 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals Thunder vs. Mavericks series is destined to be a high-profile battle. The two teams are evenly matched, but there are differences in specific characteristics, with the Thunder excelling defensively and balanced offensively, while the Mavericks rely on ferocious firepower from the outside. The biggest attraction of this round of the series is the matchup between Alexander and Doncic, who can stand up and hold the rhythm at the critical moment will directly determine the winner. In addition to this, the deployment of coaches and the play of the bench will also be decisive factors. I believe this will be a fierce battle for the seventh, we will wait and see!