As the Oklahoma City Thunder prepare to host the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, head coach Mark Daigneault spoke candidly about the stakes, strategy, and spirit that define the championship stage.
During Saturday’s media availability, Daigneault emphasized the significance of the moment, calling it “a privilege” to compete in a Finals Game 7.
“It’s an unbelievable thing and an unbelievable experience,” he said. “Both teams have earned the opportunity to experience that. We’re gonna enjoy it. We’re gonna throw our best punch, go out there and be who we are.”
Despite Indiana’s dominant Game 6 win, Daigneault pointed to the Thunder’s identity and preparation as the foundation for their response.
“You want to be prepared… but not at the expense of aggressiveness, confidence, instincts,” he said. “We’ve got to understand the work’s done, and we’ve got to trust that work.”
Oklahoma City enters the series finale having lost two of the last three games, including a 108–91 blowout in Indianapolis. Still, Daigneault dismissed external pressure as the driving force behind Sunday’s approach.
“I always feel a ton of pressure, but the pressure is not external,” he said. “It’s the internal pressure of doing right by the players—serving the team, putting the team in the best possible position to be successful.”
That mindset will be key as the Thunder look to contain Pascal Siakam, who has played near his regular season standards throughout the series. When asked about the forward’s consistency, Daigneault credited the natural flow of playoff basketball.
“Great players have really loud great nights and then they have quieter nights,” he noted. “I think we’ve generally done a pretty good job in the series, and so has Indiana. That’s why it’s 3–3.”
The Thunder, who went 68–14 in the regular season, have built a reputation on physical defense while maintaining composure. Daigneault reinforced the importance of legal physicality and discipline.
“We want to play physically, but we want to play legal and not put our opponents on the line,” he said. “We really try to just focus on what we can control.”
Sunday’s game marks the first NBA Finals Game 7 since 2016 and will take place at Paycom Center.
“It’s a contest of wills,” Daigneault said. “Both teams are going to try to impose that tomorrow. The better team will win.”
