OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mavericks felt like they had a successful day before they even took the court Thursday night against Oklahoma City.
They had learned earlier in the day that the sore left hamstring that had sidelined superstar goalkeeper Luka Dončić was not considered serious.
So, without lingering soft tissue issues, they could turn their attention to the Thunder.
And even though they had to fight this battle without Dončić, the Mavericks showed they weren’t afraid to face a quality opponent without their best player.
A hard-nosed effort fell short in a 126-119 Thunder win at Paycom Center, ending the Mavericks’ four-game winning streak.
Although it left a mark on the Mavericks’ 38-29 record, there’s no shame in losing to the Thunder 46-20 on the second night of a row and without Luka.
And the news about him was just as important as the outcome of the match. To say there was a sigh of relief was probably an understatement.
“The MRI was clean and (he) will be re-evaluated when we get back to Dallas,” coach Jason Kidd said. “Very good news.”
soft tissue injuries like hamstrings, there is always a certain level of uncertainty and worry among athletes. But it seems like Luka and the organization dodged a bullet.
With that, the Mavericks could focus on the Thunder – until another injury arises.
With 4:12 left in the first quarter, Josh Green fell into the backcourt and limped off the field favoring his right foot and did not return.
“It’s a sprained right ankle,” coach Jason Kidd said after the game. “We’ll see how he feels (Friday). But he definitely hurt him and couldn’t come back. But I think the x-rays were negative, so that’s a good thing.
This further reduced the depth when it came to replacing what Dončić brings.
And yet the Mavericks held firm throughout this late-night affair, which began after 9 p.m. Dallas time for national television purposes. They trailed just 111-105 with 7 minutes left and forced a Thunder miss. But PJ Washington missed a three-pointer and Lu Dort made one from distance to give the Thunder a 114-105 lead with 6:20 left.
From there, the Thunder kept the pedal down and while the Mavericks made them sweat, when Shai Gilgeous Alexander made a reverse layup with 1:15 left, the Thunder led 124-114. Gilgeous-Alexander had 31 points for the Thunder.
The Mavericks had a monster night from Kyrie Irving with 36 points to play and 12 assists. And it was impossible to be upset with the way the Mavericks were playing given the circumstances.
“I feel like the fight was there for 100 percent of the game,” said Daniel Gafford, who saw his field goal streak end at 33 when he missed the game’s first layup . But he will finish with 19 points and 15 rebounds. “There were a lot of things that frustrated us. But we fought until the end and that’s what makes a good team if you fight from start to finish, no matter what happens throughout the game.
It was a night where the Mavericks suffered 19 turnovers that turned into 34 OKC points.
And even though both teams barked at the refs, Kidd said that wasn’t the source of the result.
“I think the officials did their job tonight,” he said. “Give Oklahoma City credit. It was the best team. We turned the ball over. We had 19 turnovers for around 30 points. You’re not going to beat one of the best teams in the West by turning the ball over. We have to be better.
“I thought on the road, back to back, without Luka, I thought the guys did a great job. The energy and effort were there.
And while the Thunder showed they were a legitimate contender by pulling out the win, the Mavericks also acquitted themselves rather well.
“The best teams are going to compete this time of year,” Kidd said. “Both teams are fighting for something. I thought it was a competitive game. There are going to be some missed calls, but you just have to play it.
“I thought we handled the atmosphere. It’s a great atmosphere. Just live ball turnovers. By playing without Luka, we gave ourselves a chance. Everyone in this locker room should be proud of him. We simply failed.
The Mavericks were fighting an uphill battle early on without Dončić. This represents a loss of 34.3 points, 9 rebounds and 9.8 assists. No one person on the planet can bridge these differences alone.
So it had to be in committee.
Dante Exum got the start for Dončić and he or Irving were always in the game to handle the bulk of the ball-handling duties. But it was a team effort to fill the void left by Luka.
And when it was over, the performance of Oklahoma City, which is engaged in a tight battle with Denver and Minnesota for first place in the Western Conference, was impressive.
“I give them props just because of the way they’re performing this year,” Gafford said. “There’s nothing you can do but tip your hat to them. They are consistent every night. They play the same way, with physicality, speed and they have several guys who can get the shots they want. And they also have an MVP caliber player on their team. If you put them in a combination, it’s pretty difficult to compete night after night.
X: @ESefko
