Philippines, 15 Jun 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


OKC Goes Down Fighting Vs Kyrie, Dallas, Sans Alexander, Top Big Men, 98-106


PhilBoxing.com




The OKC Thunder may have botched the chance for the league's best record midway through the season but there's reason not to feel down.

Less than 24 hours after battling erstwhile league leader Cleveland Cavaliers and delivering a smashing 134-114 victory at home, OKC made a short trip to Texas to face a Luka Doncic-less Dallas Mavericks. But the Thunder are without their money man Shai Gilgeous Alexander while Kyrie Irving suited up for Dallas.

OKC lost, 106-98 but they went down fighting against a Mavericks that had the other half of the team's prolific scorer and playmaker in Irving.

Aside from Doncic, the Mavs also missed 7-4 center Dereck Lively III and a couple other players going out with injury. But apart from Alexander who did not suit up for nagging injury himself, the Thunder continued to miss center Isaiah Hertenstein who before his injury was doing a great job subbing for main big man Chet Holmgren. Again power forward Jaylin Williams had to move to the slot to contend against Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington.

It was the Thunder that felt the absences of their main pieces more than the Mavericks.

This was immediately evident as Dallas raced to 10-0 lead in the opening quarter. A glimpse of OKC's defense that crippled Cleveland showed as the Thunder held the Mavs to just 12 points the rest of the first quarter while scoring 26 points themselves to take the opening frame, 26-22.

But Dallas regrouped and with Irving and Washington leading the assault, the Mavs dropped a 41-17 bomb in the next quarter to take a 63-43 lead in the intermission.

Again, OKC's resolute defense showed in the third quarter and with Jalen Williams and Lue Dorf spearheading the counterattack, managed to reduce the deficit to just one at the end of the frame, 77-76.

Led by Irving, Dallas proved steadier in the final period and managed to post ten-point leads which OKC managed to whittle down to eight at the final buzzer. The rigors of catching up and fatigue from yesterday's game against Cleveland must have caught up on the Thunder.

Irving topped all scoring with 25 points. He was ably backed up by Washington and Spencer Dinwiddle who tossed in 16 points each while Naji Marshall added 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Dallas.

For the shorthanded Thunder, Jalen Williams led with 19 points followed by Dorf with 18 points. Jaylin Williams added 12 points and 12 boards

The loss dropped OKC's record to 34-7 still tops in the West but half a game behind the East's Cleveland which regained the league's best at 34-6. The win raised Dallas record to 23-19, seventh in the West.

The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • THAI SIMSRI READY FOR CHRISTIAN ARANETA IN IBF WORLD TITLE SHOWDOWN THURSDAY IN JAPAN; WILL THE CEBUANO “BOMB” STOP HIM?
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 15 Jun 2025
  • Pinoy Power! Pacquiao, Donaire, and Araneta Ready to Shine in World Title Fights
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 15 Jun 2025
  • “PROSPECTS COLLIDE” TAKES CENTER STAGE
    , Sun, 15 Jun 2025
  • Nonito Donaire Favorite to Beat Andrés Campos for WBA Interim World Title; Both Men Make Weight Ready in Argentina!
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Oklahoma Forces 2-2 Finals Series Tie, Starves Indiana for Point in 111-104 Win
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • PROSPECTS COLLIDE OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN RESULTS
    , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Hitchins vs. Kambosos: Can George Be More Than A Faded Name?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Four Boxers Advance to Gold Medal Matches on Day Three of World Boxing Challenge Grand Prix Usti Nad Labem
    , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • WEIGHTS FROM NEW YORK: HITCHINS - 140 LBS., KAMBOSOS - 139.4 LBS.
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Gaviola to face Narukami in Gensan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Pacquiao Steps Up Training
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Balla stops Cabalquinto in 4th round
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Eight-year-old Marius Constante sweeps 5-round chess fest in Cebu
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz and Top Lightweight Contender Edwin De Los Santos Part Ways Amicably
    , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Unification WBA & IBA Pro title fight Albert Batyrgaziev vs James Dickens to crown boxing show in Istanbul on 2 July
    , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • How the Ring's P4P Ranking Has Strayed from the Norms of Nat and Nigel
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES FROM HITCHINS VS. KAMBOSOS JR
    , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • MOST VALUABLE PROMOTIONS UNVEILS REMAINING PRELIMINARY CARD BOUTS FOR JAKE PAUL VS. JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR.
    , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • Jean Henri Lhuillier: Leading Philippine Softball’s Unstoppable Rise to International Dominance
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • Team USA Sends Seven Boxers to the Medal Rounds Thursday at World Boxing Challenge Grand Prix Usti Nad Labem 2025
    , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • Jerusalem, Taduran 1-2 at Minimumweight; Llover Enters Bantam in Ring's Latest Ratings
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • July 26: Rohan Polanco-Quinton Randall Welterweight Showdown Tops Xander Zayas-Jorge Garcia Undercard at The Theater at Madison Square Garden
    , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimàn: Weekend at the International Boxing Hall Of Fame
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Thu, 12 Jun 2025
  • Nonito Donaire to fight again, faces Campos on June 14
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 12 Jun 2025
  • Cabalquinto Set to Face Australian Balla on Maniatis Card
    , Thu, 12 Jun 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.