OKC Thunder 109 — Dallas Mavs 106
In retrospect the tone was set when Steven Adams became a pregame scratch due to an elbow injury. Enter Nick Collison from OKC’s bench to set the tone early and often as every Thunder player not named Durant and Westbrook pulled their link on the proverbial chain as OKC won a hard fought 109-106 thriller over the Mavs in Dallas on Friday night.
These two teams usually play hard fought games with runs coming and going both ways thru the course of their games. This one was no different. Dallas led 56-48 while making eight threes in the first half. But OKC roared back winning the third period 37-18 and led 85-74 entering the fourth period.
Game on–because you knew Dallas would have another run in them, which they did.
Deron Williams hit a three with just over a minute left. 107-106, OKC still leading. Timeout, Billy Donovan. On the ensuing possession Kevin Durant hit a two to pad the lead to 109-106.
Dallas missed and OKC had the ball with a chance to make it a two possession game. But Serge Ibaka was called for a moving screen with 17 seconds left trying to create space for Kevin Durant on the right wing.
Ball… Dallas with a chance to tie the game. Ibaka blocked a three attempt by Williams. Dirk then missed an open three from the right elbow. But the ball found Chandler Parsons for a left corner three which missed at the horn propelling OKC to their 7th straight win and a record of 22-4 in their last twenty-six games.
I’ll start with Nick Collison. He was excellent. In 21 minutes, Collison scored 6 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, six of which were offensive boards. On a night when OKC could have used Steven Adams not playing as an excuse, it didn’t matter because Nick Collison set the tone early, and for that reason I’m picking Nick Collison as my No. 1 Star of the Game.
Next the OKC bench, they were superb. On the night, OKC’s bench outscored the Dallas bench by a 47-27 count, and it wasn’t just one or two guys. It was the entire group.
Enes Kanter with 16 efficient points. Kyle Singler with 10 points and a slew of multiple hustle things which should have him receiving a post game text from Coach K. Cam Payne with 8 points, 3 assists and poised decision making from the point. Dion Waiters breaking out of his two game shooting funk with 13 valuable points and multiple hustle things himself. As a group they were excellent and each could have been my No. 1 Star as well as Nick Collison.
But here’s the thing I take from this one ultimately. On a night when Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka were good, but not great, it was Nick Collison and the four other bench players who literally led OKC to a hard fought win over a good team on the road.
The win extends OKC’s win streak to a season best seven games. OKC improves to 33-12 overall and 30-8 when No. 35 plays.
It’s not about what the Warriors and Spurs do right now. It’s about Thunder players not named Durant and Westbrook pulling their weight and carrying their load. Mission accomplished in Dallas, Texas tonight.
Mike Jackson