In the previous matchup, the Mavericks suffered a baffling defeat—despite having the upper hand for much of the game. Live Cricket BPL users observed that Dallas largely executed their offensive and defensive strategies effectively and managed to contain the Thunder. But when crunch time hit, the Mavs underestimated Oklahoma City’s will to win and their elite stamina fueled by youth and depth. Luka Doncic, playing through injury, wasn’t at his best, and his struggles became a key factor in the unexpected comeback by OKC.

Heading into the pivotal Game 5, Dallas clearly learned from their Game 4 stumble. Defensively, they stuck with what worked: clogging the lane to shut down drives, isolating Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from his teammates, and funneling possessions toward OKC’s weaker shooters. The strategy paid off in the first half, where Jason Kidd’s adjustments yielded even better results than before. Aside from a brief scoring run in the opening minutes, the Thunder were on the back foot for most of the half.

Isaiah Joe replaced Josh Giddey in the starting lineup and hit an early three-pointer, but that immediate burst of scoring also made him a defensive target. As the game progressed, he struggled to get open looks, and on defense, he was repeatedly exposed by Dallas’ Luka-Kyrie tandem. Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander faced ramped-up pressure. While his gravity still bent the defense and created occasional openings, his own scoring output—just four points in the first quarter—was far below expectations. When SGA sat, the Thunder’s offensive rhythm completely unraveled. The Mavericks capitalized, unleashing a scoring run early in the second quarter that ballooned the lead into double digits.

At this point, OKC’s hand was fully revealed. Their roster held no more surprises, and in terms of star power, they lagged behind Dallas. Aside from Gilgeous-Alexander, no one on the Thunder had the individual firepower to consistently disrupt the Mavs’ defense. Jalen Williams may have hit big shots in Game 4’s comeback, but expecting him to carry the load over extended stretches was unrealistic.

With that knowledge, Dallas began switching and rotating more aggressively. By halftime, they had reclaimed full control, building a double-digit cushion and flipping the pressure back onto Oklahoma City. While the Thunder ran out of tactical wrinkles, the Mavericks had more options. Over the last three games, P.J. Washington had repeatedly stepped up when Luka and Kyrie were double-teamed, punishing OKC’s traps with fearless scoring bursts.

Washington had arguably become Dallas’ third star—until Game 5. The Thunder responded by assigning dedicated defenders to shadow him, and it worked. Washington was held scoreless in the first half. But by stretching their defense to stop him, OKC created new problems. That’s when Derrick Jones Jr. stepped up. Using smart off-ball movement and athleticism, he repeatedly found cracks in the defense, finishing at the rim and draining open shots from the perimeter.

Live Cricket BPL statistics show Jones shot a perfect percentage in the first half. This unexpected offensive weapon left the Thunder scrambling with no effective answer. And then came Luka’s bounce-back performance. Through four games, Doncic’s limp was worrying. In Game 4, he failed to score 20—a rare sight. But in Game 5, with improved mobility and renewed aggression, he was back to MVP form, delivering a 30-point triple-double.

More importantly, Doncic seemed to crack the Thunder’s code. After four games of wrestling with Lu Dort and adjusting to constant double-teams, he found new ways to dissect the defense. Just as he did in the first-round win over the Clippers, Luka leaned into his elite basketball IQ and court vision to pick OKC apart. Experience beats youth, and as Live Cricket BPL users noted, Doncic once again reminded everyone why he’s one of the league’s most cerebral stars.

With the Mavericks now healthy, confident, and tactically flexible, Oklahoma City’s window to advance is beginning to close. Dallas holds the upper hand, and unless the Thunder find a game-changing solution fast, their postseason dreams may soon come to an end.