Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Due For Big Game 6 Against Dallas Mavericks

Facing elimination, the Oklahoma City Thunder are due for a massive game from their supporting cast around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

To this point in the series, it’s been all Gilgeous-Alexander. Sans for the Mavs series-ly dud in Game 1 where head coach Jason Kidd is still win-less to open up sets, the Thunder’s complimentary players have been no-shows in the second round offensively.

Chet Holmgren and Lu Dort have put together special defensive series, but neither have put together offensive performances to write home about.

Jalen Williams, the Thunder’s co-star and fourth quarter bucket getter went from pulling rabbits out of his hat in the mid-range to a disappearing act in the final frame.

A roster littered with 3-point shooters in the regular season good enough to produce the best percentage from beyond the arc all season, has clanked enough triples to bust the speakers in the American Airlines Center thanks to their gimmicky rim mic.

Unable to take advantage of an uncharacteristically low-scoring series from Kyrie Irving, the Oklahoma City Thunder have their backs against the wall on the road in Game 6. This is the first time this young squad faces a win-or-go-home scenario.

While the cards are stacked against them to pin Irving’s first-ever close-out game loss against him, and Luka Doncic has been nothing short of fantastic during his postseason career, the Thunder are simply due for a relatively normal outing rather than their shockingly bad performances for the majority of this series.

If the Thunder can push things to Game 7, as the Timberwolves and Pacers have, they get a do-or-die game in the Paycom Center.

Stiles Points:

Mark Daigneault would not reveal at practice on Friday if Josh Giddey, who saw his 218-game starting streak snapped on Wednesday, would remain on the bench to start Game 6.
There are reports that the site for the Thunder's new arena will be across the street from the Paycom Center where the Cox Center now sits. The arena's target opening is the 2029-30 season.
Kyrie Irving is a perfect 13-0 in close-out games in his NBA career.
The Oklahoma City Thunder must continue to adjust in Game 6 and one of those changes could be going back to Kenrich Williams who changed the emotional edge of Game 4, the Thunder's lone win in Dallas this series.

Song of the Day: O-o-h Child by The Five Stairsteps.

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