Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks Game Recap – November 22, 2015

But the lanky center’s long-awaited debut wasn’t enough to help the Dallas Mavericks extend their winning streak. “I thought we got really good contributions off the bench”.

Kevin Durant #35 and Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder wait during the game against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center on January 18, 2015 in Orlando, Florida.

“I think we’re moving closer and closer to, at least from an offensive standpoint, really moving the basketball”, Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. He gives us problems with his penetration. “But I think he’s responded very, very well”. “We missed a lot of free throws and we turned it over too much”. That changed in the second half, although a terrific run of shot-making staked the Mavericks to a 10-point lead in the third quarter. Serge Ibaka swatted away a layup attempt by Williams with 8.4 seconds left, then the Thunder flummoxed Matthews into a heave just before the buzzer to seal off a hard-earned win.

“I thought we were poor on defense the entire game”, Carlisle said.

Carlisle was exasperated that no foul was called on the play. “There’s no question I got hit”. “But it didn’t come down to that”. We weren’t great in transition defense. “We have to improve those three areas”.

The Mavs did receive a big boost from McGee, who played his first game after battling a left tibial stress fracture.

Also unsurprisingly, Russell Westbrook has put up monster numbers over the last six games.

“The first stint I was in I was kind of out of breath”, said McGee, who collected eight points and six rebounds in 11 minutes. “But the second stint I was pretty good”.

Six different Thunder players scored in double figures in the full team effort, and the Thunder out-rebounded Dallas 41-36 and registered 25 assists to generate 52.2 percent shooting.

It seems like ever since Russell Westbrook joined the Oklahoma City Thunder, there have been rumors and sources and stories all about his friendship with Kevin Durant.

The forward had 22 and 11 while adding three blocks in a 99-94 loss at Oklahoma City in his most recent meeting with the Thunder on January 9. But the Mavericks made one more field goal the rest of the quarter, allowing the Thunder to close the gap. “You give up 117 points”.

“Just defensively, we got broken down too many times”.