(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Oklahoma City Thunder are no fluke.
Even though some people didn’t give them credit for sweeping the Zion Williamson-less New Orleans Pelicans, their win over the Dallas Mavericks showed that they’re for real.
Besides their grit and grind style of play and the way they push the pace, they’re a ruthless team that doesn’t take it’s foot off the gas for the full 48 minutes.
According to former NBA star Tim Hardaway, they want other teams to quit, and that’s what they accomplished in their first-round series.
Talking on The Carton Show, Hardaway claimed that the Thunder would look to get the Mavericks to tap out as well, and they most definitely did it in Game 1 when Luka Doncic started complaining and grabbing his leg and whatnot.
“The Thunder want the Dallas Mavericks to quit and that’s what they did.”
— @SrHardaway pic.twitter.com/qf4WO4iSej
— The Carton Show (@TheCartonShow) May 8, 2024
The narrative is now about Doncic and whether he’s healthy enough.
Hardaway thinks Luka will hear all the noise and look to make a statement in Game 2 after logging just 19 points on 19 shots in their loss in Game 1.
Nonetheless, that might not be in Jason Kidd’s team’s best interests.
As great a player as Luka is, he has a big tendency to hog shots and dribble for 20+ seconds instead of getting his teammates involved.
Even though he can get double-digits in assists in every game, that doesn’t mean he’s making anybody else better or helping their teammates get into a rhythm.
The Thunder could be quite comfortable with allowing him to take as many shots as he wants and get 40 or 50 points if that means they still get the win, so Doncic will have to be mature and intelligent enough to adjust and do what’s best for his team, not for his stats.
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