NBA Odds: The Thunder Advances to NBA Cup

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Thunder Passes the Mavs and Advances to NBA Cup Semifinals

Oklahoma City Thunder Shows Defensive Strength to Defeat the Mavericks

On Tuesday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder proved why they have one of the best defenses in the NBA, shutting down Luka Doncic and winning 118-104 in a crucial game that sent them to the NBA Cup semifinals. While the Dallas Mavericks have a star like Doncic, the Thunder’s defense was simply unstoppable.

OKC Defense Stops Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic, usually a scoring machine, was limited to 16 points on a poor shooting night (5 of 15), nearly 13 points below his usual average. The most surprising part was that Doncic only scored two points in the first half and scored half of his total points in the fourth quarter after the Mavericks were already down by 17 points.

Due to his size and strength, Luguentz Dort, a rare wing defender, guarded Doncic throughout the game. At 6’4″ and 220 pounds, Dort is built more like a linebacker than an NBA shooting guard. At one point, Dort stole the ball from Doncic purely through physical strength.

A New Story in the Boards and Three-Point Shooting

The Thunder not only excelled defensively but also dominated the offensive boards. In a turnaround from last year’s playoff series, where the Mavericks dominated offensive rebounds (73 to 57), OKC grabbed 17 offensive rebounds while Dallas only secured seven. Dort, Cason Wallace, and Isaiah Hartenstein were key contributors, combining for 12 of those offensive rebounds.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Unstoppable

But the biggest key to OKC’s success was the unstoppable Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. With 39 points on 15-of-23 shooting, eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals, Gilgeous-Alexander demonstrated why he is one of the most complete players in the league. He committed only two turnovers and was a scoring machine. Any player who scores 39 points while forcing more turnovers than committing is nearly unbeatable.

OKC Advances to the NBA Cup Semifinals

Thanks to this dominant victory, the Oklahoma City Thunder advanced to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas. But beyond the win, the team secured a signature victory over a rival that kept them out of last year’s NBA playoff semifinals.

Bet on the Best NBA Odds

Such victories and impressive performances make betting on NBA Odds more exciting than ever. Are you ready to bet on the Thunder in their next round?