3 takeaways from the Mavericks’ massive upset win over the Thunder

The Dallas Mavericks picked up a massive 121-115 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night. This is Dallas’ third win of the season over the Thunder, who dominate the Western Conference, and all three wins have come without Luka Doncic, and they were able to come away with this win despite having seven players out.

This game changed when Lu Dort was ejected for a flagrant foul on Daniel Gafford that allowed the Mavs to take a double-digit lead. From there it was about protecting the lead as much as possible. OKC got the lead within one possession a couple of times in the fourth quarter, but key plays by Spencer Dinwiddie were the big difference that made it all happen.

Dallas desperately needed this win as they try to stay afloat until Doncic returns in a few weeks (hopefully). Here are three takeaways from this huge win.

READ MORE: Depleted Mavericks upset Thunder in OKC, 121-115, win season series

With this win, Dallas won the season series against the Thunder 3-1. PJ Washington was active in three of the four games; will you guess which three? He averaged 21.3 PPG, 14.3 RPG and 3.3 APG in his three games against OKC this season, capped off with a 22-point, 19-rebound (should have been 20) performance Thursday night. OKC is now 36-8 this season, with three of those losses coming to a Luka Doncic-less Mavericks team. They are 7-2 on the second night of back-to-backs, both losses to the Doncic-less Mavs. Dallas really is OKC’s kryptonite, but their lead over second place in the West is the same as the difference between second and ninth. With the injuries the Mavs have dealt with, these two could be on a fast track for an electric early playoff series.

Dallas doesn’t win this game without players like Brandon Williams, Kessler Edwards and specifically Olivier-Maxence Prosper. These three likely wouldn’t have played at all had Dallas been fully healthy, but they played massive roles for the Mavs. Edwards played good defense on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in his first start as a Maverick, Williams helped spark some energy with his ball handling, and Prosper’s relentlessness on the glass and in transition made a world of difference.

Oklahoma City is the best team in the NBA at forcing turnovers, and Thursday night was no different as they forced 20 Dallas turnovers. Those 20 turnovers turned into 20 OKC points, a below-average mark. The Mavericks overcame that by constantly getting into the paint and to the free throw line, scoring 46 points in the paint and going 29/36 at the charity stripe. How to beat big teams.

READ MORE: Mavericks-Thunder rivalry reaches new heights with key player ejected

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