How the OKC Thunder Should Approach Tuesday Night's Bout Versus Dallas

The Oklahoma City Thunder dropped its last contest to the Dallas Mavericks without Luka Doncic. How might the Thunder approach this matchup on Tuesday night?

Nov 17, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) moves the ball between Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) and forward Kenrich Williams (34) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

In mid-November, Oklahoma City fell to Dallas at home, 121-119, without either Luka Doncic or Chet Holmgren in the contest.

There were several points of emphasis which saw the Thunder lose a game it should have won considering Doncic was not on the floor, though Oklahoma City was managing a new dynamic without a single center available in the rotation. Kyrie Irving picked up some of the scoring responsibility Doncic holds, posting 23 points 18 tries from the field, but it was P.J. Washington who dealt most of the damage---something the Thunder has seen quite often.

Washington's 27 points on 7-of-13 from the field and 3-of-4 from three is something that the Thunder can't allow in the two teams' NBA Cup matchup on Tuesday evening. He can't continue to have career nights when he faces Oklahoma City or that certainly won't allow them to set themselves up for success---and surely when the Thunder was competing without a center. Now, that dynamic has changed with the introduction of Isaiah Hartenstein, as he can assist in alleviating the 24-rebound disadvantage the Thunder found itself in throughout the last meeting.

Honing on limiting the superstars in Irving and Doncic is of course easier said than done, but Oklahoma City has seemed to have been a bit better off in that aspect than limiting Dallas' role players. Last year in the playoffs, it was a flurry of Derrick Jones Jr., Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, Washington and others who continually stepped up and made an impact against Oklahoma City.

Hartenstein should be a massive help to the defensive efforts against Gafford and Lively II, but hindering the likes of Washington and Klay Thompson will be a tall task with the energy consumed by Irving and Doncic.

And nearly as important, Oklahoma City will have to be on its game offensively on Tuesday. Generating more out of its bench unit will be key, as last game against Dallas it was 25 points off the bench compared to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 36.

This meeting will be an important one, leaving the winner to advance to the NBA Cup semifinals.

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