LATEST: Thunder hit with brutal Skip Bayless truth bomb
On Saturday afternoon, the Oklahoma City Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, had a chance to take a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks in a crucial Game 3 in Dallas. However, the Thunder faltered in the latter stages, squandering a significant second-half lead and enduring what could be considered Gilgeous-Alexander’s weakest playoff performance yet, resulting in a four-point loss.
This outcome was a letdown for the Thunder, who were aiming to bounce back after suffering their first playoff loss overall against Dallas at home on Thursday.
Following the game, renowned sports commentator Skip Bayless from FS1 shared his frank assessment on X, formerly known as Twitter, criticizing the Thunder’s missed opportunities, errors, and lack of determination. Bayless highlighted the Thunder’s unsuccessful strategy of intentionally fouling Mavericks’ rookie Dereck Lively, which backfired when Lively made four consecutive free throws.
Additionally, Bayless noted the discrepancy in effort, observing that the Mavericks seemed to be outworking the younger Thunder team, which was particularly disappointing for him as a supporter of the Thunder.
A frustrating resuLT
In the initial stretch of the playoffs, doubts regarding the Thunder’s young roster seemed unfounded as they swiftly defeated the New Orleans Pelicans and dominated the Mavericks in the first game of their Western Conference semifinals. However, in the subsequent two games, especially evident in Saturday’s match in Dallas, their lack of experience surfaced. Costly turnovers, notably an ill-advised pass by Isaiah Joe to Luka Doncic, highlighted this issue.
Towards the end of games, the Thunder tended to rely heavily on Gilgeous-Alexander’s isolation plays, a strategy that can be effective during the regular season but struggles against well-prepared defensive teams. Additionally, they appeared overmatched in talent against the Mavericks, with certain Thunder players unable to match the contributions of their counterparts.
Nevertheless, the Thunder have an opportunity to level the series at two games apiece in Monday’s matchup, once again in Dallas.