Mavericks Defeat Thunder 117-116 to Advance to Western Conference Finals

Thunder's Comeback Falls Short

Dallas Overcomes 17-Point Deficit

The Dallas Mavericks have overcome a 17-point deficit to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 117-116 in Game 6 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Friday night. Jalen Williams led the way for the Thunder with 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 17 points. For the Mavericks, Luka Doncic put up 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, and Dorian Finney-Smith contributed 18 points and 8 rebounds.

The Thunder started the game strong, taking a 17-point lead in the first half. However, the Mavericks chipped away at the lead and took a 55-48 lead into halftime. The Mavericks extended their lead to 10 points in the third quarter, but the Thunder fought back to tie the game at 84-84 heading into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Mavericks took control of the game and built a 10-point lead with just over two minutes remaining. The Thunder rallied back to tie the game with 10 seconds left, but Doncic hit a game-winning jumper with just 0.3 seconds left on the clock to give the Mavericks the win.

With the win, the Mavericks advance to the Western Conference Finals, where they will face the Phoenix Suns. The Suns defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 4-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series.