Draymond Inexperienced believes it’s do or die for OKC Thunder in Recreation 7, not only for this yr, however for the remainder of their future.
NBA followers might be handled to the 2 greatest phrases in all of basketball this Sunday: Recreation 7. The Indiana Pacers pressured the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder to a Recreation 7 within the NBA Finals.
The Pacers placed on an incredible efficiency, shutting the Thunder down on each ends. The truth is, the Thunder set a brand new document towards the Pacers, occurring a six-minute scoring drought.
Jalen Williams had a traditionally horrible efficiency, ending the sport with -40 within the plus/minus class.
Their poor efficiency price them dearly, and now, the OKC Thunder and Indiana Pacers will play within the NBA’s twentieth Recreation 7 in Finals historical past.
However in line with Draymond Inexperienced, it isn’t simply the championship on the road for the Thunder; it’s their future as a franchise.
Talking on his podcast, Draymond Inexperienced previewed Recreation 7 of the NBA Finals between the Thunder and the Pacers.
Tapping into his personal expertise in Recreation 7 of the NBA Finals, Inexperienced identified that the Thunder are dealing with the strain at dwelling. And may the Pacers full the miracle win, he doesn’t anticipate the Thunder to ever get better from the loss emotionally.
“It’s a coin flip. All it takes is one Kyrie Irving shot to flip the sport, one LeBron James chase-down block. That’s what OKC is up towards; they had been imagined to win. The strain is all on them.
“Indiana is popping out is popping out with a free swing and they’re popping out enjoying unfastened like ‘we bought nothing to lose, we had been by no means imagined to be right here within the first place.’
“I wish to see what OKC goes to do as a result of in the event that they don’t win this championship, they might by no means win the championship.
“I feel they’re in a tricky place in the event that they don’t win a championship. If you get the chance to win a championship, in case you win it, you give your self the chance to win extra.
“However in case you lose it, now you begin tweaking stuff, and people tweaks may put you additional away than you had been.”
It’s arduous to say which workforce has a bonus heading into the sport. One may argue the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder have an edge as a result of they’re enjoying at dwelling and have already received a Recreation 7 in these playoffs.
However on the identical time, the Thunder had the possibility to wrap the collection up in Recreation 6. As an alternative, they put up their worst efficiency within the playoffs up to now.
And in doing so, allowed the Pacers to have their greatest efficiency but and construct confidence coming into Recreation 7.
What makes this much more useful for the Pacers is that they’ve proven they will win on the Thunder’s dwelling.
As issues stand, Recreation 7 is simply too near name. This is the reason NBA followers are so excited, as we’re positive to see pressing and determined basketball from two of the very best groups within the NBA. And whoever wins will get to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy.