After a four-day wait, the Oklahoma City Thunder finally found out who their Round 2 matchup will be on Friday — the Dallas Mavericks.
The two-headed monster of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving rivals the best duos in the league. They lived up to the hype in their postseason debut with a first-round series win over the LA Clippers. Each averaged 25-plus points.
The first-seeded Thunder are enjoying another week-long break between playoff series. A sweep against the New Orleans Pelicans gifted them the impromptu vacation.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault addressed the Mavericks for the first time since they advanced to the second round on Sunday. The Coach of the Year winner was very complimentary of his opponent, stating they’re one of the last eight teams left for a reason.
“Anybody advancing in the playoffs is a really good team. We obviously have a lot of respect for them,” Daigneault said about the Mavericks. “They’ve been playing exceptionally… Post trade deadline I thought that really changed their team… Obviously a tall task for us.”
The additions of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford have improved the Mavericks. Since the All-Star break, they finished the season with the fifth-best record at 18-9.
Both could play huge roles in their matchup against the Thunder. Washington was Dallas’ third-leading scorer behind Doncic and Irving in Round 1. He can stretch the floor and give OKC troubles on the defensive end.
Gafford is the prototypical rim-running big who’s given OKC problems all season. He can be a hindrance to the small Thunder as a rolling center with enough athletic pop to constantly be a lob threat.
The Mavericks might rely on both more than they did in the first round. Backup big Maxi Kleber will likely miss all of the series with an AC joint shoulder separation. He’s set to be re-evaluated in three weeks.
Daigneault believes Kleber’s absence could cause the Mavericks to reshuffle their frontcourt rotations. He played a key role against the Clippers as a stretch forward.
“Our guess for them is to stay big. But we’re ready for everything,” Daigneault said about Kleber’s injury. “It definitely changes their looks in the frontcourt.”
The Thunder will get their first chance against the Mavericks on Tuesday, May 7. Game 1 will be held at Paycom Center.
Once that contest is concluded, Daigneault will have a clearer picture of what he’s working against in Round 2.
