OKC Thunder Open Up As Series Favorites Against Dallas Mavericks In Round 2

The Oklahoma City Thunder come into the series against the Dallas Mavericks as favorites in Round 2 after sweeping the Pelicans.

Mar 14, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder dispatched of the Pelicans in four games during their first-round series with New Orleans, giving them a week off ahead of Round 2.

On Friday, the OKC Thunder found out their opponent for the second round as the Dallas Mavericks knocked off the L.A. Clippers in Game 6.

As the American Airlines Center was rocking, the Mavericks sent the Clippers to Cancun. Now, the two meet in the postseason for the fourth time.

The Mavericks got the best of the Thunder in 2011, before falling to the upstart Bricktown boys in 2012 and again in 2016.

Now, fresh faces fill each roster as Oklahoma City boosts the youngest No. 1 seed in NBA history and the Dallas Mavericks roster one of the league's best duos in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

This series will have no shortage of star power with two of the top three Most Valuable Player vote-getters in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic, Irving, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.

While the Mavs earned a comfortable win on Friday and has a more proven playoff track record than the Thunder on paper, Oklahoma City opens up as the series favorites according to FanDuel.

The Thunder are marked at -122 to knock off the Mavericks in the best-of-seven set to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016.

In the regular season, Oklahoma City owned a 3-1 record over Dallas with the caveat of just one game that featured both Doncic and Irving in the Mavericks lineup.

Oklahoma City has proven over the course of the 82-game season to be better than the Mavericks - who really came alive after the NBA Trade Deadline - and sweeping the Pelicans was a good indication of the Thunder's ability to handle the postseason stakes.

Mix that together and it is easy to see why the Bricktown boys are favored in this series before the public money swings things in one direction or another.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will start their Round 2 series against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, May 7 inside the Paycom Center. Tip-off is slated for 8:30 PM CT as the contest will be broadcasted on TNT.

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