4 Studs, 1 dud from Mavericks' series-clinching win over Thunder

On Saturday night, the Dallas Mavericks had the opportunity to close out the Oklahoma City Thunder on their home floor after an exciting Game 5 win earlier in the week on the road.

Luka Doncic and the Mavs' momentum from their Game 5 win carried over into Saturday night as they defeated the Thunder 117-116, and now the Mavs will play the winner of the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets Game 7 which will be played later today.

The No. 5 seed Mavs have now beaten two seeds higher than them (LA Clippers were the No. 4 seed and Thunder were the No. 1 seed), and just like they did in the 2022 NBA Playoffs, they are proving everyone wrong.

4 Studs, 1 dud from Mavericks' series-clinching win over Thunder

The Mavs had an extremely slow start as the Thunder got off to an early 13-4 lead less than three minutes into the game, and the Mavs overcame that to grab the big win behind a 16-point second-half comeback.

Here are three studs and two duds from the Dallas Mavericks' series-clinching Game 6 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

5. Stud - Derrick Jones Jr.

In this series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks wing Derrick Jones Jr. has been phenomenal and is ultimately earning himself millions of dollars as he'll become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Jones Jr. reportedly wants to come back to the Mavs, and the Mavs feel the same way about him, but his price tag is going to be much higher than last summer. Dallas signed Jones Jr. to a veteran's minimum one-year contract last summer, and he quickly outplayed that contract as a Mav.

In Game 6, Jones Jr. finished with 22 points while shooting 8-13 from the field and 4-6 from downtown. His strong start to the second half helped the Mavs stay within striking distance of the Thunder, and his play on both ends continues to be dynamic.

Although Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still finished with 36 points and shot 14-25 from the field, Jones Jr. continues to give his all in that matchup, and his improved offense is the cherry on top for an excellent playoffs for him so far.

He has been knocking down open shots, finishing above the rim in transition, and being a back-door lob threat for Luka Doncic. Jones Jr. has been the glue guy in the starting lineup all season long, and him stepping up in the playoffs has been huge.

4. Stud - P.J. Washington

At the start of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington quickly became a fan favorite. Washington stood up for Luka Doncic when he got into a scuffle with Russell Westbrook of the LA Clippers, and he also stared down the Clippers bench after he got into an altercation with Terrance Mann.

Washington's stare-down at the Clippers bench went viral, and the entire NBA world was buzzing about it. Him going viral didn't stop at the stare-down, as he played great on both ends in that series, but he really started playing well against the Thunder.

Washington had a huge Game 3 against Oklahoma City as he scored 27 points while knocking down five threes, but his performance in Game 6 was off from the start.

Just like he did in Game 1, Washington got in foul trouble early. He picked up two fouls less than three minutes into the game, and this forced Jason Kidd to play Josh Green over him for most of the first half. Green didn't play poorly, but the Mavs being without one of their top defenders definitely hurt them.

Washington then came back with a big second half and finished with nine points in Game 6 while shooting 2-6 from the field and 2-5 from downtown, and hit two huge free throws while intentionally missing one to avoid giving the Thunder the chance to set up.

Washington's ability to step up in the clutch was huge, and he came through when his team needed him most.

3. Stud - Luka Doncic

Before Game 5, most Dallas Mavericks fans were extremely concerned with Luka Doncic's performances. His injuries were clearly hindering his performance, he was non-stop arguing with the referees, and he just wasn't himself.

Doncic's struggles to start the series were even more concerning, but his performance in Game 5 was nothing short of greatness. He finished with a 31-point triple-double and led the Mavs to a 12-point victory on the road.

Doncic followed up his dominant Game 5 with another great game in Game 6 as he finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists while shooting 9-15 from the field and 4-6 from downtown. He was getting to his spots early and often in this game, and his dominant first half set him up for an overall successful game.

Doncic finished with 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one steal in the first half while shooting 5-6 from the field and 3-4 from downtown. His jumper was looking pure, especially off of step-backs, and he was finishing strong around the rim.

Although he had an all-around great game, Doncic fell back into his habit of arguing with the referees early in this game. He picked up a technical foul in the first half, and Tony Brothers looked like he thought about giving him another one.

Doncic has to be careful when he decides to argue with the referees, and the Mavs need his mind fully on basketball for him and his team to be at their best. Doncic himself even talked about how important it was that he didn't argue with the refs in Game 5, but it was a different case in Game 6.

2. Dud - Daniel Gafford

The Dallas Mavericks big man duo of Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford has been solid in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, but individually, Gafford struggled in Game 6.

Gafford finished with 10 points while shooting 4-7 from the field and 2-4 from the free-throw line. These stats may not seem abnormally poor, but the eye test might tell a different story.

Gafford was a -25 in this game, and his play out of the short roll was hard to watch. Lively II clearly has him beat in this area, and Gafford got played off the floor in Game 6. He only ended up playing 19 minutes, and the Thunder were exposing him by double-teaming Kyrie Irving or Luka Doncic right when they got past half-court. This would force the big man to flash near the top of the key to help them out, but Gafford struggled to make plays in these situations.

He would be forced into a bad shot if he decided to attack the rim, and didn't show much confidence when the ball was in his hands.

Gafford still brought great energy in this game and rebounded well, but if he is going to continue to start, he has to start playing up to Lively II's level or Jason Kidd might be forced to make a tough decision for Game 7.

1. Stud - Dereck Lively II

While the same can't be said about the Dallas Mavericks' other center Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II was outstanding in Game 6. Lively II finished with 12 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, and one block while shooting 5-6 from the field.

Lively II was huge for the Mavs in the second half once they went away from Daniel Gafford, and the energy that he brought on both ends was outstanding. He was fighting in the paint for every rebound, affecting every drive that the Thunder made towards the paint, and finishing strong above the rim.

You can't teach effort, and Lively II brings 110 percent effort every night along with a contagious energy. Without Lively II, this game could have gone much differently, and his composure in the clutch for a 20-year-old is unreal.

The moment is never too big for him, and his ability to hit free throws late in the fourth quarter when the Mavs need him most has gone a long way for this team. Lively II undoubtedly outplayed Gafford in this game, and it wouldn't be a shock if Jason Kidd at least considers inserting him into the starting lineup.

The Mavs will find out their opponent in the Western Conference Finals tomorrow as the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves play in Game 7.

For all the latest on Dereck Lively II and the Dallas Mavericks throughout the 2024 NBA Playoffs, stay tuned.