Mavericks Massacre: Thunder Records Biggest Win In OKC Playoff History

Two years is a long time to go without playing in the postseason, and the Thunder played like a team that was hungry to get back as OKC rolled over Dallas 108-70 in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

It was a blowout of epic proportions, but everything seems to look easier for the Thunder with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook effortlessly making one play after another. The Thunder duo nearly combined to outscore the Mavericks in the first half (31-33) as OKC coasted after intermission to take a 1-0 series lead.   

Serge Ibaka got things going for OKC with a 3-pointer that nearly blew the roof off of a rowdy Chesapeake Energy Arena, but the Thunder was only getting going. Durant went strong to the rim for a contested layup over Mavericks’ center Salah Mejri, and then swished a jumper on the next possession to help catapult the Thunder to a 9-0 start.

It was one heck of a way to burst out of the gates, but the Thunder still had another first quarter run under its belt. Enes Kanter checked into the game with 6:24 remaining in the frame and immediately made an impact. The Turkish big man was gobbling up rebounds, and his layup with 2:13 left in the quarter capped off an 8-to-0 Thunder run as OKC led 26-11 after one.

While OKC’s offense was electric, its discipline and aggressive play on defense was equally impressive. Dallas’s 11 first quarter points mark the least amount of points in the first quarter the Thunder has allowed an opponent to score this season.  

OKC’s lead was massive, but it continued to balloon as the clock continued to tick. Led by the trio of Durant, Westbrook and Kanter, the Thunder kept rolling. OKC ripped off a 19-to-9 run to open the second that was finished off by an Ibaka elbow 3-pointer.

With Dirk Nowitzki seemingly the only Mavericks player who actually showed up to play, Dallas looked lost on both ends of the floor and only managed to shoot just over 26 percent from the field in the first half while the Thunder shot 45.5 percent and led by 26 points at halftime.

Durant threw a perfect alley-oop to Steven Adams to open up the second half, and the Thunder was relentless in its attack throughout the rest of the third as Kyle Singler’s 3-pointer in the closing seconds put OKC up 93-41 as the reserves played out the rest of the game while the starters rested.

Westbrook led the Thunder in scoring with 24 points to go with his 11 assists, while Durant added 23 points, five rebounds and five assists. Ibaka was a huge difference maker for the Thunder all night long, and finished with 17 points (7-for-8), nine rebounds and three blocks. Kanter added a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Nowitzki was the only Mavericks’ player to score in double-digits with 18 points as Dallas was never competitive in the game and shot 29.8 percent from the field.

The first round series will continue on Monday at 7 p.m. when the Thunder host game two.