OKC ignoring distractions as NBA Finals preparations gather pace

Mark Daigneault wants his Oklahoma City Thunder players to steer clear of distractions ahead of the NBA Finals

Transcript

00:01There's some things that are different.

00:02You know, we're going to practice tomorrow or when is it Wednesday?

00:06We're going to practice Wednesday at the arena and

00:08there's going to be 100 people, you know, at the last 45 minutes of practice.

00:11And trying to pretend that that's the exact same would be foolish on our part.

00:15I mean, that's going to feel a lot different and we've tried to define that.

00:19And then we've also tried to define what's the same and

00:21what's the same as when the ball goes up in the air.

00:23What that game is going to come down to will be the exact same.

00:27You know, the air around it, the noise around it, the stakes,

00:31all those things feel differently.

00:33But, you know, when you step over the line, it's going to be the same game and

00:36the same things are going to win and lose the game.

00:38And you have to be able to cut through all the things that are different and

00:41all the distractions to get yourself fully present, ready to compete.

00:45And that's our challenge.

00:46That's Indiana's challenge.