The Western Conference’s No. 1 seed, the Oklahoma City Thunder (57-25), will take on the fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks (50-32) in the 2024 Western Conference semifinals. It’s the first postseason meeting between the two franchises since 2016, when Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and Co. dispatched a long-in-the-tooth Dirk Nowitzki in a spicier-than-you-might-remember five games.
How the Thunder got here
With very little wasted motion.
After finishing atop the West behind a top-five offense led by MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a top-five defense backstopped by Rookie of the Year runner-up Chet Holmgren, the Thunder made their playoff debut against the undermanned Pelicans … and took care of business.
Any playoff jitters that the NBA’s second-youngest roster felt during a nip-and-tuck Game 1 win — one that required clutch shots by Gilgeous-Alexander and huge stops by Holmgren and rookie guard Cason Wallace — promptly dissipated after the victory. Oklahoma City shot 59% as a team in a 32-point Game 2 blowout, and held New Orleans under 90 points in both Games 3 and 4 to finish off the sweep, becoming the youngest team ever to win a series in the NBA playoffs.
Holmgren locked down the paint, blocking 11 shots in 129 minutes and limiting the Pelicans to 13-for-36 shooting (36.1%) against him at the rim. Luguentz Dort played the kind of in-your-pores defense that’ll give Brandon Ingram nightmares all summer. Jalen Williams — 21.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5 assists per game, shooting 52.9% from the field and 38.9% from 3-point range — continued on the trajectory that has him looking like a future superstar.
There was barking. So, so much barking.
Tougher tests than Zion-less New Orleans lie ahead. Give OKC credit, though: So far, they’ve passed every one they’ve faced with flying colors.
By winning their big bets.
Asked what would make this matchup with the Clippers different from the last two times the teams squared off in the postseason — both L.A. victories — Luka Dončić offered a three-word answer: “We have Kai.”
This is why Dallas spent two starters, an unprotected first-round pick, a pair of seconds and $120 million for Kyrie Irving: to give its MVP candidate a superstar-level partner capable of helping shoulder the load against top-flight competition. It’s also why Mavericks president of basketball operations Nico Harrison was so aggressive at the 2024 trade deadline, bringing in center Daniel Gafford and…