Thunder, Without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Fall To Mavs

Shai's Absence Looms Large

The Oklahoma City Thunder's playoff hopes took a significant hit on Wednesday night as they fell to the Dallas Mavericks 111-96. The loss was a major blow to the Thunder, who are now 29-27 on the season and in danger of falling out of the Western Conference playoff race.

The Thunder were led by Josh Giddey, who had 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 9 assists. Luguentz Dort added 18 points, while Jalen Williams chipped in 16. However, it wasn't enough to overcome the Mavericks, who were led by Luka Doncic's 30 points. Christian Wood added 20 points for the Mavericks, while Spencer Dinwiddie had 16.

The Thunder struggled in the first half, shooting just 35.3% from the field. They also turned the ball over 10 times, leading to 15 points for the Mavericks. The Mavericks, on the other hand, shot 45.2% from the field and only turned the ball over 5 times.

The Thunder closed the gap to 8 points in the third quarter, but the Mavericks were able to pull away again in the fourth quarter. The Thunder made just 4 of 20 three-pointers in the game, while the Mavericks made 11 of 28.

Thunder Lack Firepower Without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The Thunder's loss to the Mavericks was a reminder of how much they missed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging 23.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game, has been out since January 28 with an ankle injury.

Without Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder have struggled to score points. In their last 10 games, they have averaged just 102.7 points per game, which is 26th in the NBA.

The Thunder have also been struggling to defend without Gilgeous-Alexander. In their last 10 games, they have allowed an average of 117.5 points per game, which is 29th in the NBA.

Conclusion

The Thunder's loss to the Mavericks was a major setback in their playoff hopes. The Thunder are now just 1.5 games ahead of the ninth-place New Orleans Pelicans and 2 games ahead of the 10th-place Utah Jazz. The Thunder have a tough schedule remaining, with 20 of their remaining 26 games against teams that are currently in the playoff race.