Mavericks edge closer after beating Thunder, as Celtics overpower Cavaliers

NEW YORK – For a moment, Luka Doncic forgot that he loves playing basketball. He took a step back, composed himself, and went out to compete with a relaxed mind.

And that was when he was most dangerous.

On May 15, the Dallas Mavericks star led from the front with a triple-double, finishing with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, as they beat Western Conference top seeds Oklahoma City 104-92 on the road.

The Thunder are now on the brink of elimination in their National Basketball Association (NBA) semi-final, play-off series after going behind 3-2.

Doncic had been furious after the Mavs surrendered the initiative in a Game 4 loss in Texas on May 13, but said a more calm approach had been the key to his latest commanding effort.

“Sometimes I forget that I love to play basketball, it’s the thing I do,” he said. “My mental focus was just to go out there with a smile on my face and play basketball.”

The Slovenian guard had struggled in this series against the Thunder, going by his high standards. Playing through an injured right knee and left ankle, he had averaged just 22 points in the first four games.

“He was aggressive (tonight),” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “He was making shots, taking shots. The deep three, being able to get to the basket, playmaking.”

The Mavs can now clinch a place in the West Finals with victory in Game 6 back in Dallas on May 18.

“We just got one more to win out of two games, and that’s it,” Doncic added. “It’s 3-2, but that’s nothing. We’ve got to finish it and go with the same mentality.”

He was given offensive support from Derrick Jones Jr with 19 points while three other players – Kyrie Irving (12), Dereck Lively (11) and P.J. Washington (10) – made double figures.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 30 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

Earlier, the Boston Celtics overpowered the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-98 to reach a third straight East Finals.

Jayson Tatum’s 25 points helped subdue an injury-hit Cavs at home to complete a 4-1 series win.

The Eastern Conference top seeds will face the Indiana Pacers or New York Knicks for a place in the NBA Finals.

Cleveland’s hopes of clawing their way back were rocked before the game after confirmation that three of their top six players – Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert – were out with injury.

But they shrugged off that setback to produce a battling performance that saw them get within three points of the Celtics early in the fourth quarter.

Evan Mobley poured in a game-high 33 points, while Marcus Morris Sr added 25 off the bench.

Yet, just when Celtics fans were nervously wondering if a shock defeat was on the cards, Boston stitched a decisive 13-2 run – crowned by a three-pointer from Tatum – that left them ahead by 14 points at 101-87.

Tatum, who added 10 rebounds and nine assists, said Boston had prepared for a dogfight, despite Cleveland’s injuries.

“Anybody who’s played in this league understands what happens when somebody’s best players are out,” he said.

“The rest of the guys have more freedom, they play with a different level of confidence and they play different.

“Our mindset coming into this game was, ‘However long it takes, that’s how long it takes’.

“We didn’t expect to win the game in the first or second quarter. We grinded it out.”

Six Boston players finished in double figures, with Al Horford adding 22 points and Derrick White 18. Jrue Holiday finished with 13 points while Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard had 11 apiece.

Tatum said the Celtics were now determined to snap their dismal recent record in the East Finals. They have lost at this stage in four of five appearances since the 2016-17 season. AFP