Thunder carry all-for-one mentality to NBA Finals

As Daigneault digs into the small print, he is aware of there is a distinction between getting a really feel for the opponent and the opponent ensuring you are feeling them.

“We aren’t inventing anything this week. They pump a 99-mph fastball at you, and you can prepare all you want for that,” Daigneault stated. “But when you’re in the batter’s box, it’s different when it’s time to hit. It’s going to be a very tall challenge.”

Oklahoma City options two high on-ball defenders who’ll share the chore of shadowing Pacers All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton. He averaged 18.8 factors and 9.8 assists within the playoffs to succeed in the Finals and is the engine of a revving offense able to attacking from many angles. Lu Dort defended Haliburton in two regular-season matchups, Thunder wins, and restricted him to averages of 11 factors and 5.5 assists.

While the Thunder characteristic the NBA’s main scorer and MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the mentality of profitable with protection and succeeding as a group are greater than phrases to this younger roster.

“Staying true to who we are is the reason we are here. We’d be doing ourselves a disservice to change or be something we’re not once we got here,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated. “If we want to keep having success, we have to be who we are. It’s organic, so it’s nothing we have to think about or force. It’s who we are no matter the moment.”

Gilgeous-Alexander will get the vast majority of the eye from the Pacers’ protection, however ahead Chet Holmgren stated Oklahoma City has seen loads of that strategy. The Thunder declare they honestly do not care how the factors get on the board in Game 1 or past, so long as OKC is placing up wins.

“I’d say the biggest thing is playing for each other,” Holmgren stated. “And the type of guys we have here. If you ask anybody, everybody is going to tell you they are a winner. We have a team with 17 winners. They’re going to put winning at the top of the totem pole over anything else, really. Does that mean you are guaranteed to win every single night? No. But when that’s the main focus, you aren’t working toward anything else, then you are able to chase that better than if you had a different perspective on it.”

Perspective may be a problem early within the collection.

Daigneault is matching up with Rick Carlisle, who guided the 2011 Dallas Mavericks to the NBA title, with a gaggle of 20-somethings within the Finals for the primary time. He reminded his group to stroll into the house enviornment grateful and wasn’t afraid to replicate on the magnitude of the second.

“Every single person that’s participating in this,” he stated, “whether it’s coaches, players, staff, there was a time in their life when this was just a dream. That’s every player that’s participating. There was a time they were in their driveway shooting, 1 on 0, with a basket counting down the end of the game. That’s what makes it so special to be part of. We’re all very humbled and grateful to be a part of it.”

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