Thunder Aim to Stay Hot Against Shorthanded Mavericks

The Oklahoma City Thunder are on fire, and they’re looking to keep the wins coming when they take on the Dallas Mavericks Friday night. On the other side, the Mavs are just trying to hold things together as injuries continue to pile up.

Thunder: Red-Hot and Rolling

If there’s one team that’s figured things out lately, it’s the Thunder. They’ve won 19 of their last 20 games (excluding the NBA Cup Final) and are coming off a 134-114 beatdown of the Cavaliers. That win wasn’t just dominant—it was a national TV statement.

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: SGA dropped a casual 40 points and dished out eight assists on Thursday. Oh, and it was his fifth 40-point game this season. He’s not just playing great basketball—he’s playing MVP-level basketball.
• Luguentz Dort: Dort came alive, scoring a season-high 22 points, hitting six threes, and shutting down Donovan Mitchell, who managed just eight points. Dort’s defense and shooting made a big statement.
• Grounded Team: Despite their hot streak, the Thunder aren’t getting ahead of themselves.
  “It was just another night of basketball,” SGA said after the game. Cool, calm, collected—just like their game on the court.

Even though this is the second game of a back-to-back, the Thunder are looking like a team that’s ready for anything.

Mavericks: Fighting Through the Pain

Things are tough in Dallas right now. The Mavs have lost three straight and eight of their last ten, and it’s not hard to see why—they just can’t catch a break with injuries.

• Missing Stars:
  • Luka Dončić, the heart and soul of the team, has been out for 11 straight games with a calf strain. Without him, Dallas is 3-8, and the offense just isn’t the same.
  • Kyrie Irving has also been dealing with back issues and has missed seven of the last nine games. He’s questionable for Friday.
  • Rookie Dereck Lively II is out again with an ankle injury.
• Stepping Up: Even with all the absences, some players are making the most of their opportunities. Daniel Gafford had a career night against the Pelicans, scoring 27 points on 12-of-13 shooting and grabbing 12 boards. Jaden Hardy chipped in 21 points off the bench, and Spencer Dinwiddie added 20.
• Keeping the Faith: Despite the struggles, the Mavs aren’t giving up hope.
  “It’s an incomplete grade,” Dinwiddie said about the season so far. “Once we’re healthy, we believe we’ve got something great.”

Head coach Jason Kidd echoed the optimism:
“When we’re healthy, we truly believe we’re one of the best teams in the league.”

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Key Storylines

1. Season Series: These teams have split their two games so far. Dallas pulled out a 121-119 win in November (without Luka), while OKC dominated 118-104 in December. SGA? He averaged 37.5 points in those two games.
2. Momentum vs. Resilience: The Thunder are on a roll, but the Mavericks are scrappy and fighting for every win despite the setbacks.
3. Fatigue Factor: OKC is playing the second half of a back-to-back. Will they have enough gas in the tank to keep their streak alive?

What to Watch

This game is all about contrasting stories. The Thunder are soaring, with SGA leading the way and the team firing on all cylinders. The Mavericks, on the other hand, are doing everything they can to survive while waiting for their stars to return.

Can the Thunder stay hot and notch another win, or will the Mavericks dig deep and pull off an upset? Either way, this game is a must-watch clash of two teams fighting for very different reasons.