Thunder Gameday: OKC Facing Elimination in Game 6

Oklahoma City has built themself a two-game hole versus Dallas, coming face-to-face with elimination on Saturday.

May 15, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) dunks / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

After losing Game 5, Oklahoma City has dug itself a hole that it'll have to crawl out of if they hope to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

Sitting at 2-3 on the series, the Thunder's chances are slimming down, but this also hasn't been a team that folds under pressure. It'll be a very tall task to topple the Mavericks in both of the next two games, but first they'll have to take home Game 6, taking one victory at a time.

With two of the three series left in the entirety of the playoffs going to seven games, Oklahoma City will hope to be the last team to take its opponent to seven games if they can come out on top over Dallas on Saturday.

May 15, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) defends a / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

ODDS: 

The Thunder enter the day as x-point underdogs to the Mavericks, and the total over/under is 208.5 points.

KEYS TO THE GAME: 

Oklahoma City's shooting has been highly uncharacteristic while navigating this Dallas defense throughout the series.

The Mavericks ability to lock down the lane and prevent an excess amount of scores on that front has led to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander feeding the open man along the perimeter. The problem is that the Thunder are not hitting the open threes nearly at the rate they were throughout the regular season. There seems to be some lack of rhythm or confidence, and it's rattling its youthful core.

To couple that, the Thunder must continue to force a plethora of turnovers while also running the floor with speed in transition. In a half-court setting, Dallas' defensive specialization toward Gilgeous-Alexander paired with the Thunder seemingly not having as confident playmakers as the regular season has made this a huge challenge.

Gilgeous-Alexander can only do so much, and when the Mavericks run two or three players over to swarm him, all he can do is leave it to his teammates to hit the open shot along the perimeter. In Game 5, Oklahoma City found a number of makeable 3-point looks, but fell short way more often than not.

RECORDS: 

Oklahoma City Thunder (2-3) vs. Dallas Mavericks (3-2)

INJURIES: 

Check out our live injury tracker, along with our game day injury report that will release later today.

WHEN: 

Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 7 PM CT

LOCATION: 

American Airlines Center - Dallas, TX

TV/RADIO: 

Bally Sports Oklahoma, NBA League Pass, 98.1 FM The Sports Animal

Live Stream: fuboTV (Start Your Free Trial)

FINAL WORD:  

Oklahoma City's offense must come in refined on Saturday evening. Hitting open looks, playing to their speed and limiting Dallas' stars will be as essential as ever in an elimination game inside American Airlines Center.

If the Thunder take Game 6, they'll look for one more in Game 7 at 7:30 on Monday to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

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