Thunder rout Mavericks 135-86 to clinch No. 1 seed in Western Conference
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 points in one half of action, and the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled past the Dallas Mavericks 135-86 on Sunday to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Oklahoma City finished with the same 57-25 record as the Denver Nuggets but own the tiebreaker. The Thunder hadn’t finished as the top seed since the 2012-13 season.
Aaron Wiggins scored 14 points and Chet Holmgren had 13 points and nine rebounds for the Thunder, who won their fifth straight to close the regular season.
The Thunder entered the day in a three-way tie with the Nuggets and Timberwolves for the best record in the Western Conference. It was the first time in NBA history that three teams entered the final day of the season tied for a conference lead.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 14: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder goes up for a shot during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at Paycom Center on April 14, 2024 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expres
The Thunder will have to wait for the Play-In Tournament’s conclusion to learn their first-round opponent.
NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic and star guard Kyrie Irving were among the four starters the Mavericks rested. Doncic had a sore left ankle and Irving had a sore left hamstring. The Mavericks already had clinched the No. 5 seed and a first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Brandon Williams scored 22 points and Olivier-Maxence Prosper added 15 for the Mavericks.
Oklahoma City ran out to an 11-0 lead as the Mavericks missed their first four shots. The Thunder led 39-22 at the end of the period.
Oklahoma City led 82-41 at halftime. The team set a season high for points in a half and fell one point short of a Thunder record for points in a half after missing a shot off the front iron at the buzzer. Oklahoma City shot 60.4% from the field before the break.
Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren sat at the start of the second half with the game under control. Oklahoma City hit the 100-point mark with 3:30 left in the third quarter and led 101-49 after a pair of free throws by Bismack Biyombo. Oklahoma City led 108-57 at the end of the third.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Visit the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1 of a Western Conference playoff series.
Thunder: Will host Game 1 of a Western Conference playoff series.