Dallas Mavericks defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder, 117-116

The Dallas Mavericks pulled off a thrilling victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder with a final score of 117-116. This nail-biting game showcased the talent and determination of both teams as they battled it out on the court.

The Mavericks' star player, Luka Doncic, played a pivotal role in securing the win for his team. With his impressive scoring ability and court vision, Doncic led the Mavericks to victory with a stellar performance.

Oklahoma City battled the opening tip around to Jalen Williams, who has not had his best stuff offensively this series, giving the Santa Clara product a runaway dunk right through the lane to start the Thunder on the right foot. This led OKC to an opening 13-4 run thanks to their constant ball pressure and forcing early turnovers.

Doncic finished Game 6 with 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, becoming the fifth player in NBA history to record three consecutive triple-doubles during the playoffs, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

But Doncic, who is dealing with a sprained right knee and a sore left ankle, struggled for much of the series. He averaged 24.7 points -- a significant drop-off from his league-leading 33.9 in the regular season -- and shot 44.7% from the floor despite finding his touch in the final two games.

"We won the series. That's what matters in the end," Doncic said. "We won 4-2, [even though] we didn't have home advantage. It's great that we won, but just struggles are going to come. You got to stay positive and keep hooping."

Washington intentionally missed the final free throw, preventing the Thunder from setting up a play for a potential buzzer-beater. Jalen Williams missed a 64-foot heave to end Oklahoma City's season and prompt streamers to fall from the American Airlines Center rafters.

The fifth-seeded Mavericks now await the winner of Sunday's Game 7 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and defending champion Denver Nuggets to determine their opponent for the West finals -- which will start Tuesday night with Dallas on the road.

"Today is about today's game, and tomorrow, we'll think about the conference finals," Doncic said. "I think we should all enjoy this, because this, I would say, was a really hard series."

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Sarah H

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