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Mavericks vs. Thunder Preview: 4 things to watch as Dallas takes on Oklahoma City

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Mavericks vs. Thunder Preview: 4 things to watch as Dallas takes on Oklahoma City


After notching their fourth-straight win, the Mavericks will leave Dallas to make a short trip up to OKC to face the Thunder as they jostle amongst the West’s crowded playoff standings.

The Mavericks have played the Thunder well in their two matchups so far this season – losing the first by six points, a score of 126-120, but then uncorking a 35-point win against the premiere squad in the conference shortly after the trade deadline

Playing a top-seed team at their place while on the second night of a back-to-back aren’t ideal conditions, but every win counts, so if Dallas can find a bottle of whatever they opened up for their last meeting, this could be a big win as the season is winding to an end.

Add to that the fact that Luka Doncic left the game against Golden State with left hamstring soreness. It seems unlikely Dallas would want to risk their superstar’s heath on a back-to-back, so if Dallas is going to take care of business, it may need to be without Luka Doncic.

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Can’t miss forever

Dallas, one of the league’s most prolific three-point shooting teams, has been moonlighting as a paint-point powerhouse for the last two games.

Against Chicago, the story was Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford combining to go 21-of-22 from the floor. Dallas followed that up by throwing down 13 dunks as a team and shooting nearly 54% from the floor against Golden State. Both wins, and in both games, the Mavericks shot horribly from three. It was completely un-Mavsian.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved the down-low dominance we’re seeing from Lively and Gafford, but it’d be nice to get the threes falling again. Or at least better than the 15% they shot against Golden State. They’ll likely need it to topple a team like OKC.

Defense is their defense

Head coach Jason Kidd on multiple occasions has commented on how for Dallas, their defense is almost entirely contingent on their offense. The team was built to be a high-octane scoring machine, and defense was just a by-product. And unless players saw those shots go down, that defensive effort dropped even lower.

Well, Dallas’ offense has been if not outright shaky, at least unorthodox, but it coincided with their two best defensive performances of the year. Sure, it came against a mediocre Bulls team and a Warriors squad without Steph Curry, but holding two NBA teams to 92 and 99 points respectively is something worth making note of in the modern NBA. Hopefully, that defensive effort travels up I-35 to Oklahoma.

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Head of the boards

On top of dunking and blocking everything in sight, the Dallas center duo has another opportunity to tilt the box score. In losses, OKC gives up more second-chance points than any other team in the league with 18.1 per game. Over the last 10 games, Dallas and its new-look front court have been scoring the fourth-most second-chance points with 15.6 per game.

As promising of a player as rookie Chet Holmgren has been this season, a rebounding monster he is not. The Thunder rank 27th in rebounds on the season.

If Lively and Gafford go to work on the boards, it could mean big offensive rebound numbers, and even more easy put-back buckets.

Gaff-watch

Daniel Gafford has made 33 straight shots from the floor and trails Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 35 by just two.

Gafford hasn’t missed a shot in five games and will have a decent shot at passing Wilt, which is impressive no matter what category it is. That task becomes a lot more difficult if Luka Doncic isn’t on the court creating easy looks, though.

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How to watch

You can broadcast or stream the game on TNT at 9 p.m. CST.



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Dallas, TX

Eagles vs. Cowboys Live Updates, Score: Can Dallas Get a Big Win?

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Eagles vs. Cowboys Live Updates, Score: Can Dallas Get a Big Win?


We’ve got a good old-fashioned NFC East rivalry matchup in store for “America’s Game of the Week” on Sunday.

The Eagles (8-2) and the Cowboys (4-5-1) meet up in Texas for the latest installment of one of the NFL’s top rivalries. Philadelphia won the first game between these two teams to open the season back in September, taking down Dallas in a game that was much closer than many expected.

However, the Eagles have largely looked the part of a defending Super Bowl champion since that game. They enter Sunday’s tilt as the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The Cowboys, however, have had a bumpy year. They have a tough hill to climb to make the postseason, but it seems possible with newcomer Quinnen Williams leading an improved defensive unit. 

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Will Philly maintain control of the NFC, or can Dallas start a winning streak and make a playoff push?

Follow along for Sunday’s highlights!

4:58p ET

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A.J. Brown getting involved early and often

4:56p ET

Cowboys can’t get out their own way

4:53p ET

Tom Brady has liked the year Jalen Hurts has had

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4:47p ET

The Eagles’ defense can travel

4:46p ET

One drive, one TD for Eagles

3:46p ET

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Setting the stage in Dallas

Live Coverage for this began on 3:47p ET



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Hundreds line up in southern Dallas for Thanksgiving meal distribution

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Hundreds line up in southern Dallas for Thanksgiving meal distribution


Hundreds of cars lined up outside Uplift Hampton School in southern Dallas for the Melville Family Foundation’s fourth annual Thanksgiving meal distribution. Students and volunteers handed out kits with turkey, fresh produce, and traditional sides to families in need.



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This North Oak Cliff neighborhood is Dallas’ friendliest

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This North Oak Cliff neighborhood is Dallas’ friendliest


Nextdoor, the social media platform that connects neighbors through shared recommendations and local updates, recently released its ranking of the friendliest places to live in Dallas. At the top of the list is South Winnetka Heights, an Oak Cliff neighborhood of about 95 homes, many of which date back to the 1920s and ’30s.

Lists like these are subjective, to put it mildly, but in a sprawling city like Dallas, friendliness can feel like a lost art. It’s heartening to see neighborhoods that value connection where the neighborly spirit is thriving.

Last year, the neighborhood just a few streets away from Bishop Arts became an approved conservation district. The ordinance protects the roughly four blocks of Craftsman and bungalow-style houses south of 12th Street, which divides South Winnetka Heights from the Winnetka Heights historic district.

In December, the historic district hosts a holiday home tour, when residents open the doors of their Craftsman homes to visitors. It’s clear that residents take pride in showing off their neighborhood and its Prairie-style and Craftsman houses.

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Michael “Patty” Evans has called South Winnetka Heights home for over 20 years and was among the residents who pushed for its conservation district status. He explained that the rules are looser than those of their northern neighbors in the Winnetka Heights historic district — protecting the character of the homes without stricter material or design regulations.

Nextdoor determines neighborhood scores based on factors like posts with positive or negative tones, fulfilled neighbor requests and posts expressing neighborhood pride or dissatisfaction. But that community feel isn’t limited to online.

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Evans described the streets around him as a “tight neighborhood.” He said neighbors take the time to introduce themselves to new residents, and that this creates a network of people who know one another and keep tabs on what goes on in the neighborhood.

As much as Chicago or New York are cities of neighborhoods, Dallas is also a city of neighborhoods, and we should try to preserve this sense of community where we can.

As new developments and luxury apartment complexes come to Bishop Arts and more residents and businesses gravitate toward areas like Uptown, finding ways to stay connected to the local community feels increasingly important.

Evans said that sitting on his porch in South Winnetka Heights, especially when the leaves begin to fall, he can see downtown Dallas.

The city is a lot smaller than it can feel, especially when neighbors take the time to talk to each other, and not just online, but also by waving from their porches.

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