Late Free Throws By Washington Seal Mavericks' Spot In Western Conference Finals
P.J. Washington Jr. sank two free throws with 2.5 seconds remaining, leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 117-116 victory over the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday. This win propels the Mavericks to the Western Conference finals for the second time in three seasons.
With the Thunder ahead 116-115 after Chet Holmgren's dunk, Washington pump-faked to get Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the air. The whistle blew as his shot fell short. After the Thunder's challenge was unsuccessful, Washington made the first two free throws before intentionally missing the third. Jalen Williams' desperation heave at the buzzer wasn't close.
Luka Dončić recorded 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists for his third consecutive triple-double. Kyrie Irving and Derrick Jones Jr. each added 22 points for Dallas, which rallied from a 17-point deficit in the third quarter. The Mavericks will face the winner of the Minnesota-Denver series, with that series headed to Game 7 on Sunday.
Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 36 points, while Williams contributed 22 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. The Thunder lost four of their last five games following a strong 5-0 start to the playoffs.
Holmgren's dunk with 8:26 left in the third quarter extended Oklahoma City's lead to 77-60. However, Dončić and Irving combined for the next 13 points, narrowing the gap to 77-73.
The final sequence capped a fourth quarter that featured five lead changes and two ties in the last five minutes. Irving improved to 14-0 in closeout games in his career and hit a crucial three-pointer to bring Dallas within two points midway through the fourth quarter, marking their closest margin since the second quarter.
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS BOUND.
@ModeloUSA // #OneForDallas #MFFL pic.twitter.com/A8YsaVOIdN
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 19, 2024
The Mavericks' resilience was evident as they overcame significant odds to secure their spot in the Western Conference finals. Their next challenge awaits as they prepare to face either Minnesota or Denver.
Sign in with Google