Doncic posts 31-point triple-double as Mavericks top Thunder to take 3-2 series lead

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Luka Doncic stopped worrying about calls and just played.

It worked. He scored 31 points in a triple-double, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 104-92 on Wednesday night to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series.

Doncic didn't voice his displeasure with the officials nearly as much as usual, though he had words with fans a few times.

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

Doncic, the league's leading scorer in the regular season, had struggled some in the series against Oklahoma City. Playing through a sprained right knee and a sore left ankle, he had averaged just 22 points on 39% shooting through the first four games. He made 12 of 22 field goals in Game 5 and had 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his sixth career playoff triple-double.

“He was aggressive," Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. "He was making shots, taking shots. The deep 3, being able to get to the basket, playmaking for his bigs and also for the wings.”

Dallas regained the lead in the series after blowing a 14-point advantage and losing 100-96 at home in Game 4.

“We know the last game we played against them at home, we let it go," Doncic said. “It was our mistakes and they hit shots.”

Derrick Jones Jr. scored a playoff career-high 19 points and P.J. Washington Jr. added 10 points and 10 rebounds for Dallas, which shot 52.6% from the floor. The No. 5-seeded Mavericks can advance to the Western Conference finals with a win Saturday at home.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points for the top-seeded Thunder, but no other Oklahoma City player scored more than 13.

The Mavericks won Game 5 on the road, just like they did in the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers. Dallas held Oklahoma City to 42.5% shooting.

Coach Mark Daigneault said the Thunder simply didn't shoot well, but they found some cracks in Dallas' defense late in the game.

“I thought we were kind of there tonight and maybe missed a couple plays,” Daigneault said.

Oklahoma City tried to jump-start its struggling offense by replacing Josh Giddey with Isaiah Joe in the starting lineup. Giddey did not start for the first time in 229 combined regular season and postseason games.

Dallas led by 15 in the second quarter and took a 54-44 edge into halftime. Jones scored 15 points before the break.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 14 points in the third quarter, but Dallas still led 79-67.

Dallas pushed its lead out to 18 points early in the fourth quarter before the Thunder surged. A 3-pointer by Gilgeous-Alexander cut the deficit to 89-79 with just under seven minutes remaining and forced Dallas to call a timeout. The Thunder never got closer than seven points the rest of the way.

Now, the Mavericks are close to advancing.

“We’ve got one more to win out of two games,” Doncic said. “That’s it. We’re up 3-2, but that’s still nothing. We’ve got to finish it and go with the same mentality at home.”

The Thunder, one of the youngest teams in the league, face elimination for the first time.

“Our mood won’t change, our mentality won’t change," Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s one game at a time. We wanted to win this game tonight as badly as we’re going to want to win the next game.”

This story corrects Doncic's point total to 31. A previous version said that he scored 30.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, left, works the floor against Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, right, drives against Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) and guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, right, works the floor against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

NEW YORK (AP) — Outfielder Juan Soto, pitchers Corbin Burnes, Walker Buehler and Max Fried and first baseman Pete Alonso were among 136 players who became free agents Thursday morning.

Third baseman Alex Bregman, outfielder Anthony Santander and shortstop Willy Adames also went free.

There were 64 more players with pending option decisions who could become free agents by Monday, the fifth day after the World Series.

Teams and players can start discussing contract terms at 5:01 p.m. EST on Monday, after the deadline for teams to make $21.05 million qualifying offers to eligible free agents.

Pitcher Justin Verlander became a free agent after he failed to pitch 140 innings this year, the amount that would have triggered his ability to exercise a $35 million conditional player option. If he had exercised the option, the New York Mets would have been obligated to give an additional $17.5 million to Houston as part of last year's trade that sent the three-time Cy Young Award winner back to the Astros.

St. Louis declined options on three right-handed pitchers, Kyle Gibson ($12 million), Lance Lynn ($10 million) and Keynan Middleton ($6 million). Each gets a $1 million buyout.

Milwaukee said a $12 million mutual option had been declined on pitcher Wade Miley, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery last May.

Among those with pending club options are Atlanta designated hitter Marcell Ozuna ($16 million), and Yankees third baseman Anthony Rizzo ($17 million) and reliever Luke Weaver ($2.5 million).

Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole can opt out of his contract but the team can void the opt out by adding a $36 million salary for 2029.

Those with player options include pitchers Blake Snell of San Francisco ($30 million, of which $15 million would be deferred), Nick Martinez of Cincinnati ($12 million), Sean Manaea of the New York Mets ($13.5 million), Jordan Montgomery of Arizona ($22.5 million), Nathan Eovaldi of Texas ($20 million) and Michael Wacha of Kansas City ($16 million), along with Chicago Cubs first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger ($27.5 million).

Snell and Flaherty are ineligible for the qualifying offers. A free agent can be made a qualifying offer only if he has been with the same team continuously since opening day and has never received a qualifying offer before.

Qualifying offers began after the 2012 season, and only 13 of 131 offers have been accepted.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler celebrates after the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in Game 5 to win the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the 10th inning in Game 5 of the baseball AL Championship Series Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Cleveland. The Yankees won 5-2 to advance to the World Series. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)