MEMPHIS -- The Thunder players and staff ran to the center of the court for a collective huddle and breakaway chant on Sunday, signaling the end of practice and a sure sign that no confidence has been shaken heading into Game 4 Monday night.
Yes, the sting of the Game 3 defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies still hurts -- "I'm a winner, man. Every loss hurts, especially that one," forward Kevin Durant said -- but the Thunder is using that 101-93 overtime loss as a learning tool in its commitment to get better every day. The playoffs bring adversity, but series are long and there's another game to play.
On Sunday, the coaches and players reviewed the film from that game as a team. Durant and Head Coach Scott Brooks both called the film session "great" and noted that everybody was involved and spoke up.
"This is a chance for us to regroup," Brooks said. "We had a great film session today. We had some things that we had to look at and talk about and we did that. We understand we had a great opportunity and we let it slip away. Tomorrow is another opportunity for this team. It's always been a team that bounces back well after a tough loss and I don't see that changing."
The Thunder is 22-6 in games immediately following a loss, including 2-0 in the playoffs and 1-0 in this best-of-seven series. Regardless of how it lost Game 3, the Thunder is focused on achieving the goal it set before leaving Oklahoma City on Friday: to get one victory inside the FedEx Forum. Nothing has derailed that goal.
"We have a chance to win tomorrow and to make it a three-game series with two games on our home floor," Brooks said, adding later: "We're going to have a great effort and bring great energy."
Durant said the film session underscored points the Thunder prides itself in doing every night: diving for loose balls, challenging every shot, hustling on every play and trusting one another. "It's the little things, the attention to detail, that's what it takes to win games in the playoffs."
The Grizzlies have beaten the Thunder in five of their seven games this season and lead this best-of-seven series, 2-1. Durant was asked if the Thunder has had its confidence shaken.
"No, that's bad business right there," he said. "If they took our swagger or confidence away, we'd be in trouble. I don't think they did that."
Game 4 tips off at 8:30 p.m. Central and will air live on TNT and the Thunder Radio Network.