Sam Presti: Mavericks' Passing 'Superior' to Thunder's in Second Round Loss

The Thunder's passing was not as crisp as their opponent's in the playoff exit.

May 15, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) passes the ball against the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter of game five of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma City’s offense struggled in the playoffs, and one aspect caught the attention of the front office.

The Thunder’s season ended with a second-round loss to the Dallas Mavericks despite an impressive defensive effort. However, the Mavericks had a counter to the Thunder’s defense with their passing ability.

As Oklahoma City went through the first playoff run of this era, issues such as rebounding and stagnant offenses came up. However, GM Sam Presti felt that Dallas’ passing made a significant difference.

“I thought Dallas was a superior passing team in that series,” Presti said. “That's not because we weren't trying to pass. But they have a little more experience against that level of resistance defensively, and I thought they were just a half a tick -- it made it harder for us to get out to their players.”

Another part of the Mavericks’ success was the quality looks those passes generated, often because of their ability to get inside. In the second round, the Mavericks had 147 paint touches compared to only 103 for the Thunder.

Considering Dallas averaged fewer dribbles and less time per touch, its offense was smoother despite Oklahoma City’s defensive efforts.

Perhaps the most notable difference between the teams’ passing abilities was the Mavericks’ alley-oops. Although the Thunder incorporated lobs to Chet Holmgren at a much higher rate throughout the postseason, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving’s ability to find their team’s high fliers added another layer to the Dallas offense.

The box score does not necessarily reflect the passing discrepancy, with Dallas having only eight more assists in the series. Although the Thunder finished the series with more total passes, the Mavericks had more potential assists, points off assists and hockey assists.

“Regular season, I think you can win with the dribble,” Presti said. “Postseason, I think you win with the pass. Then in the -- toward the end of the game, your best players got to make the plays off the dribble, which we all know. I think our intentions were good. We just hadn't seen that yet. I think we'll get better with it.”

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