Gritty young Thunder take down veteran Mavericks in Game 4

The Thunder came back from double-digit deficits to win 17 times in the 2023-24 season. They did it again in Game 4.

Oklahoma City trailed by as many as 14 points in the third quarter but took the lead with a 9-0 run in the final quarter, punctuated by a go-ahead three-pointer by rookie Chet Holmgren off a dish from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And the Brazilian fans loved it.

During that game-swinging run, five different Mavericks missed shots. Then they started missing from the line.

Dallas missed three big free throws down the stretch, including the front end of a pair from Luka Doncic that could have tied the game. Down three in the final seconds, P.J. Washington missed a free throw, and when he tried to miss intentionally, it bounced in.

Overall, Dallas was 12-of-23 from the line. Oklahoma City went 23-of-24. That was the difference in a 100-96 victory by the Thunder.

Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 34 points, adding eight rebounds and five assists.

Holmgren had four blocks to go with his 18 points and nine rebounds, including two huge free throws with nine seconds left to give the Thunder a three-point lead.

Another rookie, Cason Wallace, hit his only two shots in 18 minutes, both threes and delivered a big block on Kyrie Irving.

Oklahoma City shot 38 percent from the field, 26 percent from three-point range and got its shots blocked 13 times. But down the stretch, the Thunder played like veterans and ground out an unlikely win to tie their series 2-2.