In the NBA playoffs that ended today, the Mavericks narrowly defeated the Thunder 117-116 at home, thus eliminating the opponent with a big score of 4-2 and advancing to the Western Conference finals. For 2 series in a row, the Mavericks have played the following games, and the process is exactly the same.
In the first round, the Mavericks defeated the Clippers 4-2, and in the second round, the Mavericks defeated the Thunder 4-2.
All of them lost in the first game, won in the 2nd-3rd consecutive games, and overtook the score 2-1; Lost at home in the 4th game, won the battle of Tianwangshan away in the 5th game, and returned to the home field to advance in the 6th game.
In today's game, the Mavericks won very thrillingly and unexpectedly.
In the first half, the Mavericks fell behind by 16 points, 17 points at the most in the game, and with 8 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Mavericks fell behind by 7 points 90-97.
Lively's passion!
Lively was the wonder man in the fourth quarter of the game, and in the last 8 minutes, Lively scored 8 points on 3 shots and 2 of 3 free throws, and grabbed 3 frontcourt rebounds, and 1 frontcourt rebound caused the Thunder to foul, which is equivalent to grabbing 4 more offensive opportunities for the Mavericks.
Of those 4 offensive opportunities, the Mavericks ended up scoring 6 points, and every point was very important.
Irving's 2 three-pointers!
Irving scored 18 points in the second half, but in the last eight minutes, he didn't have much chance to perform, but his teammates played in the gods.
During this period, Irving only made 2 of 6 shots, but these 2 three-pointers were also crucial, one was hit during the 7-0 chase to 97-97, and the other was 107-105 after overtaking the score and then being overtaken by the Thunder 108-107, Irving hit a 24-second whistle three-pointer to regain the lead at 110-108.
In fact, there is another scene that has not been recorded: in the final moments, Washington was fouled by Alexander and threw a three-no-stick, and Irving actively scrambled to make up for the ball, which means that even if the referee did not whistle for Alexander to foul, Irving is likely to get the frontcourt rebound to complete the kill.
Washington's Salvation!
Washington made just two three-pointers in the game.
The first three-pointer helped the team chase the score to a 105-105 tie, and the frontcourt rebound before this three-pointer was grabbed by Washington himself.
The second three-pointer gave the team a three-point lead at 113-110.
The third was not a three-pointer but a three-pointer, and his three-pointer in the final minute caused Alexander's foul, and after hitting the first two free throws steadily, the third free throw was deliberately missed, and finally helped the team win.
Jones's stroke of genius!
Jones was not idle, and Irving's frontcourt rebound before the 24-second three-point whistle was grabbed by Jones.
And in the final moments, when Irving was capped by a three-pointer, Jones hit a step-back shot with a quasi-24-second buzzer-beating shot to help the team stretch the gap to five points.
Doncic only scored 1!
During the final period, Irving and Doncic didn't have much of a role, Irving also had 2 three-pointers, and Doncic only scored 1.
It was the goal that overtook the score that helped the Mavericks take a two-point lead at 97-95 and lead again after 42-40, and the 42-40 lead was also a three-pointer from Doncic.
In the last 8 minutes, the Mavericks 5 people all contributed their own contributions, and just like that, the team won by 1 point, I have to say, it was really difficult.
And at the last moment of the game, the referee stole the show!
At 110-110, the Mavericks attacked, and the referee blew for a covering foul on Lively and gave the Thunder possession. But the Thunder didn't score, and Washington hit a three-pointer to give the Mavericks a three-point lead at 113-110.
And in the last 27 seconds, the Mavericks led by 2 points 115-113, when the Thunder served, the referee blew Washington for a foul without the ball, gave a free throw, and after Alexander hit the free throw, Chet also had an empty catch, and the Mavericks had a wave of 1+2, but they overtook 1 point at 116-115.
If there is no such penalty, it should be 115-115 at this time, and the Mavericks are at least undefeated, and now that they are 1 point behind, the pressure on the Mavericks' last attack is even greater.
After Doncic almost missed, Washington forced a three-pointer, and after Alexander was shaken, he reached out in the air to block it, and finally was whistled for a foul by the referee.
Alexander did get the ball, but he also pulled his hand, the Thunder challenged, but failed, and Washington had a free throw to end the series.
In this game, the Thunder played tenaciously, but the Mavericks played magically, maybe this is Irving's undefeated record bonus. In the face of match point games in his career, Irving was 13-0 and had never been defeated, and this game was finally won dramatically, the record became 14-0, and Irving's undefeated record could not be taken away by the referees.