This has been a very physical and testy series, needless to say. But tonight, we may finally reach a verdict as the Oklahoma City Thunder look to finally put the nail in the coffin when the Dallas Mavericks come to town for Game 5. A win here for the Thunder means a ticket to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs. Can they succeed in doing so? Or will the Mavs survive, and send the series back to Texas for a Game 6?
Read on below for everything you need to know about this matchup. And while you’re at it, check out our preview of Game 4 between the LA Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game 5 Preview
Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
When: Monday, April 25, 2016, 8:00 PM ET
Line: Dallas Mavericks (+14) at Oklahoma City Thunder (-14); total: 205.5 – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: TNT
Betting on the Dallas Mavericks
That’s easier said than done, but this team has the strength to do so even in front of a raucous Chesapeake Energy Arena crowd. A proof of this would be during Game 2, wherein the Mavericks’ defensive physicality and veteran experience allowed them to escape with the huge 85-84 victory. And also, their defense was able to force Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant into a horrendous shooting night during that game.
Shutting down the former league MVP is just one side of the problem, however. There’s still Russell Westbrook, who can create for others and for himself at almost any given moment, to deal with. The Mavs defense, which is allowing 110.5 points in this series, has really got to be really locked on him from start to finish as well.
On offense, meanwhile, it can’t be a one man show for Dallas. Dirk Nowitzki has been the most consistent contributor for them, averaging 19.5 points on 49.2 percent shooting throughout this series. But just by looking at his age, you know that Nowtizki can’t carry the load by himself anymore.
That being said, Raymond Felton, Wesley Matthews and J.J. Barea need to provide some solid contributions of their own in order to give the Mavs a fighting chance to win. The three are tallying 32.9 points combined this year and Felton, in particular, has been sensational in the last three games. He’s putting up 19.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in that span.
Dallas is 7-3 ATS in its previous 10 road games.
Betting on the Oklahoma City Thunder
Kevin Durant had another woeful shooting night in Game 4, but fortunately, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s other ‘Batman’—Russell Westbrook—was there to save the day. He lighted up the scoreboard with a team-high of 25 points and a game-high of 15 assists to ultimately lead the Thunder the 119-108 road victory.
Furthermore, Westbrook’s unselfishness has allowed the pair of Serge Ibaka and Enes Kanter to shine in that game. The two big men tallied 16 and 28 points, respectively, but Kanter was clearly the more efficient one. He only missed one of his 13 shot attempts, and is also shooting 72.9 percent from the field in the series overall.
Having all that said, it’s quite clear that OKC can still win even if Durant struggles. Westbrook’s ability to score and create opportunities for others is arguably enough to overwhelm the Dallas Mavericks. So long as Westbrook, who is averaging 23.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 11.7 assists in the past four games, keeps filling up the stat sheet, the Thunder should be able to take care of business in Game 5.
It’s also worth keeping in mind, though, that Durant, who was ejected in the fourth quarter of Game 4, could actually be due for a big outing. The 27-year-old forward quickly bounced back from his forgettable performance in Game 2 by erupting for 34 points in the following game. If that pattern continues, it’s going to be a blowout win for the Thunder.
OKC is 6-4 ATS in its past 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
OKC (-14) annihilates the Mavericks, 105-81, and moves onto the second round.
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