OKC Thunder Has Right Mindset Heading Into Game 7

It was a missed opportunity for the Oklahoma City Thunder in their 119-107 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 6. A chance to close out the series and punch its ticket to its first Western Conference Finals since 2016.

The Thunder in no way delivered its best punch on Thursday. Denver was the better and more desperate bunch with its season on the line. Now, the fate of Oklahoma City's 68-win season is on the line in Game 7. A one-game sample size.

"I mean first of all, credit Denver, they threw a punch tonight. This has happened in the series, both
teams are exchanging blows and they got theirs in tonight. And both teams have done a great job of
standing back up, including us, and we need to do that on Sunday. And then other than that we need to be who we’ve been all season and embrace the opportunity that is in front of us. We get to play that game at home because of the work we did in the regular season in front of our fans. So, we’re obviously disappointed in the outcome tonight but when the ball goes up in the air we will be excited to go," Head Coach Mark Daigneault said following Game 6.

Daigneault's measured approach is rubbing off on his troops as superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is understanding of the do-or-die nature of Game 7 while also keeping the game in a proper perspective.

"It's do or die. It's what you live for. It's what you work your whole life for. Either your dream continues or your dream ends," Gilgeous-Alexander said postgame. "It's gonna be very fun, it's gonna be the highest intensity basketball that you ever play, but at the same time it's still just basketball. You have to go there and have fun, play free."

Plenty of narratives, storylines and feelings ride on Sunday's outcome for the Oklahoma City Thunder. But its All-Star is quick to remind everyone just how good the Thunder have been at responding to losses.

"We've done a good job of standing tall with it, so this is another opportunity to do that, and everybody's excited for it," Jalen Williams said post-game.

Throughout this postseason, the Oklahoma City thunder have not lost two games in a row. Now, they have to continue that trend and avoid a defeat at the feet of an all-time great, Nikola Jokic and his championship, battle-tested, core.