The Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder might have delivered one of the best games of the playoffs this season. Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went back and forth all 48 minutes today to keep fans and viewers like Magic Johnson entertained. After the Mavericks got the last laugh, Johnson poured his emotions out on watching this fourth-quarter thriller, while Pistons legend Isiah Thomas had a few words for Kyrie Irving. Notably, the Los Angeles Lakers legend also announced his “unsung hero” from the Mavericks. 

The Dallas Mavericks have advanced to the Western Conference Finals, with a 117-116 win in game 6 against the Thunder. This last quarter battle, where OKC entered with a 90-80 lead, had Magic Johnson excited, as he tweeted, “What a game! UNBELIEVABLE finish!! The Dallas Mavericks win 117-116 vs. OKC. If you missed this game, you have to watch the fourth quarter – just phenomenal basketball!” 

Although Doncic had a 29-point triple-double and Kyrie Irving had 22 points, Johnson chose PJ Washington as the “unsung hero“, who sealed the game for the Mavericks with two free throws, 2.5 seconds on the clock as OKC led 116-115. 

2x champion of the Detroit Pistons, Isiah Thomas, wanted to see the Mavericks win only for Irving. He wrote on X, “So happy for @KyrieIrving”, as the 32-year-old reached the Conference Finals after seven years. Also, Irving has a clean record of 14-0, when it comes to closing out a game in the playoffs. 

Irving was with the Cleveland Cavaliers the last time he made it to the Conference Finals. This is his first Western Conference Finals appearance and he will be facing the winner of the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves series. Irving was spot on today, but there was another unsung hero of the Mavericks that Johnson failed to mention.

The other unsung hero of the Dallas Mavericks who played an impressive two-way role 

The Mavericks had three players who scored more than 20 points today. Doncic had 29, Irving had 22, and Derrick Jones Jr. had 22 as well. Jones Jr. has showcased his defensive skill throughout this series by taking the trouble of guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Although the Canadian guard had 36 points without a single turnover today, Jones Jr. forced some crucial stops in the last few minutes of the game. 

Before PJ Washington’s two clutch 3-pointer with 2:01 left, Jones Jr. hit a flawless fadeaway that gave the Mavericks a 5-point lead, 110-115. If not for that, the results would have been different. Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II also had 15 rebounds off the bench and 12 points. Mavericks finished the series in 6 games only because of X-factors like the above. Magic Johnson finds an “unsung hero” in every playoff game. He made the right choice today, but there was more than one hero in this game.