Thunder Gameday: Oklahoma City Wraps Up Long Road Trip in Dallas

In the fifth and final game of this road stint, the Thunder will match up with the Mavericks.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have spent the past two weeks away from home, taking on their longest road trip of the season. They've gone 2-2 thus far, meaning the Thunder will have the chance to finish the trip over .500, which would be extremely impressive.

The one team standing in their way in accomplishing that is the Dallas Mavericks, who have lost two-straight games and will be looking to get back on track.

While the Mavs are more experienced, Oklahoma City has the talent to get the job done tonight in Dallas.

Alonzo Adams / USA TODAY Sports

ODDS: 

The Thunder enter the day as 7-point underdogs to the Mavs, and the total over/under is 220.5 points.

KEYS TO THE GAME: 

The Mavericks have been up and down all season, losing to some of the worst teams in the league, but also beating some of the best. It's always tough to tell which version of this team you'll get on a night-to-night basis, but what's clear is that they need a win tonight. Dallas' last two losses have been brutal, as the Mavs fell late in a heartbreaking game against the Milwaukee Bucks followed by a blowout loss to the Chicago Bulls. 

The Mavericks attempt the third-most triples of any team in the league, so the Thunder's perimeter defense will be key in this matchup. Furthermore, Dallas commits the fewest turnovers in the league, meaning Oklahoma City will look to force uncharacteristic mistakes that disrupt the flow of their offense. 

Keep in mind, the last time these teams faced off, the Thunder came back from down 16 points late in the fourth quarter to force overtime. From there, OKC pulled off the shocking victory. 

Simply put, Dallas will want revenge tonight. 

One advantage Oklahoma City will have on this contest is the battle on the glass. The Mavs are the worst team in the entire league on the boards, while the Thunder are top ten. 

Regardless, the outcome of this game will happen on the perimeter, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will look to bounce back after fouling out in a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night. 

RECORDS: 

Oklahoma City Thunder (11-15) vs. Dallas Mavericks (13-13)

WHEN: 

Monday, Dec. 12, 2022 at 7:30 PM CT

LOCATION: 

American Airlines Center - Dallas, TX

TV/RADIO: 

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

FINAL WORD: 

At the conclusion of this game, the Mavs will stay in Dallas for a matchup agains the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Thunder head back to Oklahoma City for a matchup with the Miami Heat.

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