The Dallas Mavericks had their only winning streak of the season snapped on the road Friday night, getting walloped by the Oklahoma City Thunder, 132-111. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 33 points, five rebounds, and six assists to lead the Thunder. Naji Marshall led the Mavericks with 18 points.
The Mavericks came out early and played excellent, aggressive defense whcih seemed to surprise the Thunder. Dallas sent soft double teams at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to force the ball out of his hands. The Thunder committed two early turnovers, which allowed the Mavericks to push in transition. Oklahoma City called a timout with the game tied at 11 with around seven minutes remaining. The teams continued to trade baskets all quarter with neither team getting much of a leg up. With so many guys out for Dallas, coach Jason Kidd played deep into his bench during the period and while the Thunder threatened to run away with it, timely baskets kept them at bay. D’Angelo Russell sank a mean step back three at quarter’s end and both teams walked to their benches with 27 points each.
Your fightin’ Dallas Mavericks kept the theme throughout the second frame. Each time it looked like the Thunder would run away with it, Dallas made a timely bucket to hang around. A series of bad calls from the referees paired with challenges slowed the game down later in the quarter. SGA took over a bit, attacking Dallas in semi-transition as the Thunder sought the knockout punch on Dallas. Gilgeous-Alexander had numerous late free throws to give Oklahoma City their first double digit lead late in the half. The Mavericks, led by Anthony Davis playing with no force whatsoever, collapsed late, missing jumpers, rebounds, and free throws. The Thunder led 63-48 at the half.
Oklahoma City built out a 20 point lead within minutes of the second half. The lead grew to as many as 31 points and Davis went down after a knee-to-knee collision. I stopped paying attention for a while after that. Jaden Hardy went in the game and Dallas scored eight straight. The Thunder are really good though and following a timeout, smacked Dallas back down. This became a game of running out the clock without anyone getting hurt. Dallas trailed OKC after three, 104-74.
For reasons I can only guess at, Anthony Davis actually went back into the game. Dallas proceeded to trade baskets with OKC all period as we waited for the game to end.
What was that, Anthony Davis?
I am disgusted with Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks.
Davis wanted nothing to do with this game. Nothing. His first shot attempt was a weak pivoting fadeaway from any kind of contact and that set the tone for what should go down as one of the more embarrassing games in the Top 75 All Time player’s illustrious career. He didn’t want to be in the game and I didn’t want to watch him.
Then, after a scary knee-to-knee collision, Davis came out of the game for Dallas. It was fine, the team was down 30, there was no sense in playing him any further. No one wants to see a player that’s obviously on the trade block get hurt.
But then something absurd happened. Jason Kidd put him back in the game and Dallas treated him like a Make-A-Wish kid, trying to get him a basket. What on EARTH? He finally came out after his ninth shot attempt to finally go down. This isn’t a charity. Davis looks dumber for having re-entered the game than leaving it to begin with. He could’ve exited the game under the narrative that he nearly got hurt and Dallas was losing anyway, so why risk it? Instead he apparently needed to get his basket. Pathetic.
Thunder good, Mavs not so much
This game is an extreme example, but with Dallas on a three game win streak, just enough of the hardcore Mavericks fans had started to wonder “what if we’ve turned it around?” Now, I’m not a title-or-bust kind of fan but the gap between the Thunder and Mavericks is the Grand Canyon. They have so much talent and maybe it’s not fair to compare, but this is perhaps why it’s a reasonable idea to acknowledge the need for a rebuild. Playing to win 38 games and hope for the play-in sucks. I want to build towards being a real playoff team. That starts by the team admitting just how far away they are from that. Alas.
