A lot of growth transpired Wednesday night in Oklahoma City. For the home-team Thunder, it was growing pains. For the Dallas Mavericks, it was growing up — and together.
Led by Luka Doncic, who adopted a strikingly more mature approach to the referees and magnanimous attitude toward his teammates, the Mavericks were even-keeled in every way as they secured a 104-92 win for a 3-2 best-of-seven lead in the Western Conference semifinals. Game 6, and the opportunity to punch their ticket to a second Western Conference finals in three years, is Saturday in Dallas.
The Thunder, making their first appearance in the playoffs in four years, and having swept New Orleans 4-0 in the first round, looked like a group playing in its first pivotal Game 5 of a playoff series. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the most…
