On Thursday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder could’ve been forgiven if they experienced a moment of déjà vu. They ended up going home, losing to the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of their opening playoff series. The Thunder can’t be expunged from history, as they rattled off a stunning 68 wins in the regular season. They endured a very troubling déjà vu, losing a game they previously led by a large margin—having only done so twice in a victorious campaign.
Oklahoma City was coming into the game riding on a wave of confidence, carried by their first half of the first ranked defense. By holding the Pacers to only 45 points and forcing them into 20 turnovers, the Thunder displayed their defensive ability. As promising as this golden handshake beginning was, the game flipped on its head in the fourth quarter. The Thunder lost a 15-point lead and lost to their opponents 111-110. It was just their second home defeat overall in the playoffs.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reflected on the emotional toll after the game, recognizing the pain of disappointment and stressing the importance of bouncing back.
“Obviously it sucks — last-second shot, the energy in the arena and stuff like that. But we lost at the end of the day. We lost Game 1.” – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
All throughout the process, head coach Mark Daigneault shaped his team to be ready for this moment. He implored them to “get ourselves to zero,” reminding all of us that keeping emotions in control is crucial, regardless of how the game turns out. He highlighted the importance of focusing on the next game, stating:
“The most important game in the series is always the next one, regardless of the outcome. We would’ve liked to win tonight, but tonight was a starting point, not an end point.” – Mark Daigneault
The Thunder have proven to be a resilient bunch throughout this playoff run, often responding to defeats with authority. They continue to claim a perfect 4-0 record after losing. What’s more, they crush their opponents’ next game by an average margin of victory of 20.5 points. With Game 2 looming, this trend should offer them plenty of comfort.
Alex Caruso, the oldest player on the Thunder roster and a champion with previous experience, spoke about controlling crucial game moments.
“You don’t want to live and die with the best player on the other team taking a game-winner with a couple seconds left,” – Alex Caruso
He stressed that to avoid these types of situations, having control at key moments is crucial.
The Thunder’s loss is a good reminder that despite great success, no team is immune to well-coached tactical adjustments and pressure. WHAT A SHAME Given their impressive regular-season record and great defense this was their game to close out. What lies ahead Together their team must regroup and return even stronger.
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