LATEST FIRST ALERT FORECAST. EVERYBODY, WELCOME INTO THE SHOW TONIGHT I AM BRIAN KEATING ALONGSIDE MARK ROGERS. IT IS TIME. TIME FOR CRASHING THE BOARDS ON A PLAYOFF SUNDAY NIGHT HERE AT THE DAY OFF MARK. BUT WHEN WE SAT HERE LAST SUNDAY, THE LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE IN WHERE OKLAHOMA CITY WOULD BE AT THIS POINT WAS VERY HIGH. AND NOW THEY TRAIL IN THIS SERIES TWO GAMES TO ONE. THEY DO. I THOUGHT THEY PLAYED WELL ENOUGH TO WIN IN YESTERDAY’S GAME. THEY THEY DID A GOOD JOB OF THE MAVS DEFENSIVELY BUT COULDN’T GET IT DONE DOWN THE STRETCH. AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS. TOO MANY OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS CREATING EXTRA POSSESSIONS FOR DALLAS. BUT I LIKE THEIR CHANCES. I STILL LIKE THEIR CHANCES. I THINK THEY CAN BOUNCE BACK IN GAME FOUR AND EVEN THE SERIES AND MAKE IT THE BEST OF THREE. OKAY, SO LET’S GET INTO THE GAME. LET’S GO TO THE HIGHLIGHTS YESTERDAY AND WHERE IT ALL KIND OF WENT WRONG FOR OKC. YOU KNOW THEY THEY TOOK A LEAD. MARK LED THIS THING BY DOUBLE DIGITS. AND THEN THE MAVS CLAWED BACK. AND THEN HERE COME THE THUNDER. AND THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT THERE AND LOOKED LIKE THEY MIGHT GET A LAYUP. AND INSTEAD IT WAS LUKA WHO INTERCEPTS IT. AND. AND UH ROLLS IT IN THERE. BUT THIS PLAY IS JUST YOU KNOW WHAT WHEN YOU GOT HALL OF FAMERS MARK LIKE OH BOY KYRIE COOKS THEM. AND SO THE MAVERICKS WIN IT. THEY LEAD THIS THING TWO GAMES TO ONE. AT THIS TIME OF YEAR BOTH TEAMS WANTED THE SAME AMOUNT LIKE BOTH TEAMS HAVE GONE THROUGH 82 GAMES AND A FIRST ROUND SERIES. IN OUR CASE UM, AND IT’S LIKE IT’S JUST ABOUT CARRYING OUT THE LITTLE THINGS. AND THE TEAM THAT EXECUTES AND RUNS TO THE CORNER HARDER AND TALKS BETTER ON DEFENSE. UM, USUALLY THAT THAT TEAM PULLS OUT IN THE SERIES. SO THE THUNDER TRAIL TWO GAMES TO ONE. AS WE HEAD TO GAME FOUR TOMORROW NIGHT, WE’LL GET INTO MORE GAME FOUR. I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THIS GAME IN PARTICULAR, AND MAYBE THE TWO THAT OKC LOST WHERE THEY WENT. WRONG. AND WHAT DO YOU THINK? WELL, I THOUGHT THERE WERE STRETCHES IN THE GAME THAT J-DUB HANDLING THE BASKETBALL WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD. WHEN SGA WAS OUT. I THINK THEY CAN MIX THAT UP A LITTLE BIT MORE AND HAVE JADA CONTINUE TO HAVE THE BASKETBALL IN HIS HANDS, BUT THEY’VE GOT TO REBOUND. I MEAN, IT’S JUST THAT’S SO MANY EXTRA POSSESSIONS WERE CREATED IN THE FIRST HALF OF THAT GAME THAT IT MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO COME BACK. SO THEY’RE THEY’RE CLOSE. THEY’RE RIGHT THERE. THAT GAME COULD HAVE GONE EITHER WAY. SO I THINK THAT THE THUNDER WILL BE FINE. AND I DO THINK THAT THEY CAN BOUNCE BACK AND WIN SHOOTING A LITTLE BIT LESS, ABOUT 6 OR 7 PERCENTAGE POINTS LESS FROM THE FIELD AS YOU EXPECT PLAYOFF DEFENSE TO GO UP. SO OKLAHOMA CITY HAS GOT TO HAVE CONFIDENCE. THEY’VE GOT TO JUST JUST OUTWORK THE MAVS THE WAY THEY DID IN GAME ONE. I’LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO RIDE ON YOUR BOARD. I PUT IT’S THE PGA SERIES MAN. THIS HAS BEEN THE PGA WASHINGTON SERIES. THE GUY’S BEEN UNBELIEVABLE AND SO WILL THIS CONTINUE I DON’T KNOW THE GUY’S GETTING WIDE OPEN SHOTS. AND I’VE BEEN A LITTLE BIT TOUGH ON SORT OF THE THUNDER’S PHILOSOPHY IN LETTING THE OTHER GUYS GET WIDE OPEN SHOTS. AS OPPOSED TO KYRIE AND LUKE AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. SO I DID SOME DIGGING HERE. SO PJ WASHINGTON FOR 18 OF 26 SHOOTING THREES IN THIS SERIES 53%. YOU KNOW WHAT HE SHOT IN THE REGULAR SEASON. 3230 1.4. SO YOU KNOW WHO SHOT BETTER THAN PJ WASHINGTON IN THE REGULAR SEASON. JOSH GIDDEY SHOT. SO IS THAT THE RIGHT PHILOSOPHY TO JUST LET THIS GUY. WOULD YOU LET JOSH GIDDEY JUST KEEP FIRING IT AWAY. WELL I THINK YEAH I THINK THAT I THINK THAT THE PHILOSOPHY IS STRONG BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO DOUBLE TEAM. LUKA AND KYRIE. YOU’VE GOT TO KIND OF KEEP THEM AT BAY. AND THE THUNDER DID GET, YOU KNOW, A HAND IN SOME OF THE MAVS FACING THE SHOOTING. AND HE MADE SOME SOME DIFFICULT SHOTS. AND I THOUGHT TIM HARDAWAY ALSO HIT SOME SHOTS HE DID IN THAT GAME. SO YOU GOT TO TAKE YOUR CHANCES WITH THAT. AND I THINK THAT YOU’VE GOT TO CLOSE OUT BETTER AND IT’S JUST LIKE SHAY SAID IN THE BITE. THERE IS. WE GOT TO SPRINT TO THE CORNER. YEAH, YOU GOT TO TRY TO GET THERE. THEY MOVED THE BALL. OH YOU GOT YOU GOT A REBOUND. I GOT A REBOUND. THEY GOTTA THEY GOTTA HIT THE BOARDS AND THEY’VE GOT TO UH EVEN THE SERIES AT TWO I WANT TO GO DOWN THREE ONE OKAY. SO LET’S LOOK AHEAD HERE. GAME FOUR IS TOMORROW NIGHT. WE STAY IN DALLAS. AND SO TIP OFF IS AT, UH AT 830. SO IT’S LATE NIGHT. YOU KNOW, THAT’S THE THING ABOUT BEING IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE. ALL THESE PLAYOFF SERIES START LATE 830, UH, FOR OKLAHOMA CITY. SO I WILL ASK YOU THIS QUESTION. I WILL LET YOU GO FIRST. WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU MAKE OR WHERE DID IT YOU SAID REBOUND, DO BETTER. YEAH. UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU CAN POINT TO? AND YOU GO, WHAT IF IF THIS HAPPENS, I THINK OKLAHOMA CITY IS IN PRETTY GOOD. POSITION. UH, I WOULD SAY MORE. LET ME GO WITH MORE. JOE. ISAIAH, JOE, I THINK THAT HE NEEDS TO GET IN THERE AND HE HIT SOME THREES IN THE GAME. SO, UH, I GORDON HAYWARD GOT A COUPLE OF REBOUNDS AND MISSED A SHOT. AND FOR MINUTES OR FIVE MINUTES OF GAME TIME, IF GORDON HAYWARD GETS ON THE FLOOR TOMORROW, PEOPLE IN OKLAHOMA CITY WILL RIOT. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WANT TO KEEP SOME TYPE OF CONSISTENCY THAT DAIGNEAULT DOES, BUT I THINK IT’S TIME. ALL RIGHT. SO FOR ME, I THINK THE GUY HAS BEEN SOLID AND GOOD. BUT AT THIS POINT IN THE PLAYOFFS, I SAID LAST WEEK, YOU HAVE TO PLAY GREAT TO WIN THESE SERIES BECAUSE THE MARGINS ARE I MEAN, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HALL OF FAMERS FOR THE MAVERICKS. THEY ARE VERY, VERY GOOD. SHE’S BEEN PRETTY DANG GOOD IN EVERY GAME. WE NEED J-DUB TO WOOF MAN. WE NEED THE GUY TO WOOF. HE’S BEEN GOOD, BUT HE HASN’T BEEN GREAT. WE JUST NEED NEED MORE FROM J-DUB WHO SCORED 16, 20 AND 18. AND THOSE ARE GOOD SOLID NUMBERS. BUT TO WIN PLAYOFF SERIES AT THIS LEVEL IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS TO GET TO THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS, THEY HAVE TO BE GREAT. AND THEN BEING GREAT. YET WE NEED A J DUB GAME AND WE’VE BEEN A LONG WAYS FROM THAT. WELL, THEY’RE UTILIZING A LOT OF HIS ENERGY ON DEFENSE BECAUSE HE’S GUARDING KYRIE FOR MOST OF THE TIME. SO AND I DID THINK WHEN THE THUNDER MADE A BIG RUN WHEN SGA CAME OUT OF THE GAME AND THE AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE SECOND QUARTER IN GAME THREE, WHERE J-DUB HAD THE BASKETBALL IN HIS HANDS, HE’S FACILITATING. I THINK HE’S GETTING. CLOSER TO THE RIM AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE SOME PASSES, AND HE HAS GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE HEIGHT THAN THAN SGA TO DO THOSE KIND OF THINGS INSIDE. SO WE’LL SEE IF DAIGNEAULT TRY TO TRY TRIES TO ADJUST THAT AND MAYBE PLAYS SGA OFF THE BALL A LITTLE BIT WITH J-DUB IN THE GAME, HE’S SIX EIGHT AND SO HE DOES HAVE A BETTER CHANCE TO FINISH THAN SOME OTHER GUYS. AND THEY’RE GETTING TO THE BASKET AND THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. THE MAVS LENGTH IS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM. ALL RIGHT. ONE OF THE THINGS SO THIS IS MARK DAIGNEAULT FROM TODAY AT SHOOTAROUND. AND UH ABOUT WHAT OKLAHOMA CITY NEEDS TO DO. AHEAD OF GAME FOUR. WHEN YOU LOSE A GAME LIKE THAT, IT FEELS LIKE YOU’RE A MILLION MILES AWAY. IN REALITY, YOU KNOW, WE’RE A COUPLE PLAYS AWAY FROM A WIN YESTERDAY. SO WE JUST NEED TO CONTINUE TO GET GET BETTER AND THEN GO TRUST THAT IN THE GAME TOMORROW. THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU KNOW, ANYTHING WE HAVE TO CORRECT OR ADJUST OR OUR HABITS THAT WE’VE BUILT AND THINGS WE’VE FOCUSED ON. AND NOW WE GOT TO GO DO IT ALL RIGHT MARK. SO GAME FOUR IS TOMORROW NIGHT. WHAT IS YOUR LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE. BECAUSE BY THE WAY YOU PICKED THE THUNDER TO WIN FIVE GAME I DID. THAT’S NOT GOING. TO HAPPEN. NO THAT’S NOT IT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. THEY COULD STILL WIN IN SIX GAMES. YEAH. YOUR LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE OKLAHOMA CITY IS GOING TO THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS IN BEATING THE MAVS IN THIS SERIES. UM I’M GOING TO GO 95%, 9,095%. THIS MAN OKAY. LET ME JUST THROW THIS ONE OUT THERE. ALL RIGHT. YOU GOT LUKA. UH, THAT’S TERRIBLE 95. SO JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. UH, YOU KNOW, PLENTY OF BAD HANDWRITING ON THE SHOW. DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT. LUKA’S KNEE IS REALLY BANGED UP, YOU KNOW? AND AGAIN, SO HE’S GOT TO GET BACK OUT THERE AGAIN, AND HE’S GOT TO DO. IT, UH, ON PRETTY SHORT REST AND SO I THINK OKLAHOMA CITY, I LOVE WHAT DAIGNEAULT SAID THERE. I THINK HE’S 100% RIGHT. THE THUNDER LOST THAT GAME. AND STATISTICALLY THEY SHOT BETTER THAN THE MAVS DID. THEY JUST GOT OUT REBOUNDED. AND SO YOU CAN CONTINUE TO PLAY PRETTY GOOD DEFENSE I THINK IS WHAT THEY DID. THE SHOTS WILL FALL VEGAS IS KIND OF ON OKLAHOMA CITY SIDE HERE BECAUSE THE THUNDER ARE ONLY A ONE POINT UNDERDOG. TOMORROW ON THE ROAD IN DALLAS. THEY’RE THE BETTER TEAM. THEY WON THE REGULAR SEASON BY FIVE GAMES. UH HAD A BETTER RECORD THAN DALLAS DID. AND SO I THINK THEY’RE GOING TO BOUNCE BACK AND WIN THIS ONE. I PICKED OKLAHOMA CITY TO WIN A BRUTALLY DIFFICULT SEVEN GAME SERIES. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE TWO TWO COMING BACK TO OKLAHOMA CITY AND SO I THINK THE THUNDER HAVE A GREAT CHANCE TO WIN TOMORROW. AND IF THEY DO, I THINK WIN GAME FOUR AND OKLAHOMA CITY WILL WIN THE SERIES. I DO THINK THEY ARE BETTER, BUT I THINK DALLAS IS GETTING MORE OUT OF THEIR ROSTER AT THIS POINT THAN OKLAHOMA CITY IS. SO I THINK THAT WILL LEVEL. IS PJ WASHINGTON GOING TO BE RAY ALLEN FOR THE REST OF THIS SERIES? IF THE ANSWER IS YES, THE MAVERICKS ARE GOING TO WIN IT, BUT I DON’T THINK HE’S GOING TO BE RAY. ALLEN. SO I THINK THE THUNDER HAVE A GREAT CHANCE TO WIN. WELL IT’LL BE INTERESTING BECAUSE I KNOW THAT MARK DAIGNEAULT COULD POTENTIALLY MAKE SOME MOVES WHERE HE COULD GO FOR DEFENSE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GAME AND MAYBE LEAVE GIDDEY OUT. BUT IF YOU TAKE GIDDEY OFF OF THE FLOOR AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT THAT TO HAPPEN, YOU LOSE REBOUNDING AND HE’S BIG. THEY NEED REBOUNDING AND THAT’S WHAT THEY’VE NEEDED, ESPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF GAME ONE WHERE THEY WERE DOWN, WHAT, 15 OR UH, THEY WERE DOWN SOMETHING LIKE 8 TO 1. THEY GOT THEY GOT TO START THE GAMES BETTER. YEAH. NO THEY DO HAVE TO START, START THE GAME A LITTLE BIT BETTER GAME FOR TOMORROW NIGHT’S BIG FOR OKLAHOMA CITY. IF YOU COME BACK TO OKLAHOMA CITY