The OKC Thunder finished the regular season as the youngest first seed in NBA history. They met the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round and handed them a sweep, thereby qualifying for the Conference Semis. Their opponents there are going to be the Dallas Mavericks, who cruised their way past the LA Clippers with a 4-2 series win.
Led by two of the best young players in the NBA, the OKC Thunder and the Mavericks have both had stunning seasons. However, only one of them will be able to carry their brilliance to the next round and get one more step closer to winning an NBA championship. Both these teams will meet for Game 1 on May 7 at the Paycom Centre in Oklahoma.
Shai Gilegous-Alexander stepped up for the young side in their triumph against the Pelicans. Luka Doncic also led the way for his team as he led the Mavs in points, rebounds and assists against the Clippers in the first round. Both of them are the finalists for the prestigious MVP award, which makes this matchup even more fun to watch.
Shai vs Doncic is going to be a battle for the ages
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has elevated his game to the next level this season. He has been terrific for OKC Thunder since he was traded to them, but this was the year when he officially announced himself to the world. He averaged over 30 PPG in the regular season to help them get to the number one seed. Shai continued his brilliance in the postseason as he averaged 27.3 PPG in the series against the Pelicans to carry them over the line.
Going into the matchup against the Mavericks, the franchise is going to need the best from him. The team from Dallas are capable of being a great defensive side. However, the Canadian has a great IQ and always makes the right play, which confuses the opposition.
Luka Doncic finished the series against the Clippers, averaging 29.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG and 9.5 APG. He made life difficult for their defense as he not only erupted with scoring sprees of his own but also helped his teammates contribute actively to the box score. The Slovenian also had a great impact on the defensive end as he put clamps on the offensive brilliance that the Clippers possessed
Having led the Mavericks to a Conference Finals in 2022, Luka will have bigger aspirations this time around. He has a player like Kyrie Irving, who has won a championship which will make things a little easier for him. However, before thinking about the championship, Luka needs to help the Mavs get over the talented OKC Thunder side. He has been a brilliant playoff performer, but his true potential could be tested in this series with Jalen Williams, Lu Dort and Chet Holmgren as defenders on the opposing side.
