The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the brink of clinching the number one seed in the West, and all they have to do is win a third consecutive game against a depleted roster. Last Wednesday, OKC manhandled the Spurs, who were missing Victory Wembanyama among several other key players, and then on Friday they dominated the Milwaukee Bucks, who were missing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. In the regular season finale today, the Thunder host the Dallas Mavericks, who are without Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and a good chunk of the roster.
The Mavericks have had a solid finish to the season, winning 16 of their last 19 games, and one of those losses came on Friday without Doncic and Irving. Unfortunately, fifth is as high as they could climb in the Western Conference standings, and now they must play the Los Angeles Clippers—without home court advantage—in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Looking ahead of that series, they have wisely opted to rest their banged up roster.
OKC’s mission is simple: take care of business and get a win today, and they finish no lower than second in the West. No matter how they finish, though, it’s wild to think that this team has moved from play-in game to home court advantage in the playoffs in the matter of a single season.
Game Details
Tip-Off: 2:30 PM CT
Location: Paycom Center
Television: Bally Sports Oklahoma
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @ZacharyLowNBA for live tweets and discussion during the game
Game Notes: Oklahoma City Thunder Official Game Notes, Dallas Mavericks Official Game Notes
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Josh Giddey
- SF: Luguentz Dort
- PF: Jalen Williams
- C: Chet Holmgren
Mavericks
- PG: Jaden Hardy
- SG: Tim Hardaway Jr.
- SF: Josh Green
- PF: Olivier-Maxence Prosper
- C: Dwight Powell
Injury Report
Thunder
- NONE
Mavericks
- Greg Brown III is OUT (personal reasons).
- Luka Doncic is OUT (left ankle soreness).
- Dante Exum is OUT (sprained right foot).
- Daniel Gafford is OUT (right elbow soreness).
- Kyrie Irving is OUT (left hamstring soreness).
- Derrick Jones Jr. is OUT (sprained left shoulder).
- Maxi Kleber is OUT (lower back spasms).
- Derek Lively II is OUT (sprained right knee).
- P.J. Washington is OUT (sprained right ankle).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder are 29-26 against the Mavericks in the regular season (16-11 at home, 13-15 on the road) and 9-5 in the playoffs (4-3 at home, 5-2 on the road).
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder have won the season series against the Mavericks 5 times, lost 7 times, and tied 3 times.
- The Thunder went 2-1 against the Mavericks last season (1-0 at home, 1-1 on the road).
- The Thunder are 2-1 against the Mavericks so far this season (1-0 at home, 1-1 on the road).