SAN ANTONIO -- The Thunder has continued to develop and build its identity as a team since it arrived in Oklahoma City nearly four years ago. As the Thunder prepared for Game 1 of its Western Conference Finals clash against the San Antonio Spurs, forward Kevin Durant said after shootaround that he and his teammates will just try to stay true to their principles and values on the court.
“We just have to come out and be us and we’ll be fine,” Durant said.
The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. Central tonight at the AT&T Center and will air exclusively on TNT and the Thunder Radio Network.
“We’re good, we just have to stay focused,” Thunder center Kendrick Perkins said. “It seemed like guys were pretty locked in at shootaround today, but you never know until the first game. So I’m just anxious to see where we are when tipoff comes.”
Below are the Fast Break Points from Sunday's shootaround:
- When asked about the possibility of playing the “4” (power forward) more in this series than he did against the Los Angeles Lakers in Round 2, Durant said that they’ll have to see about playing small in this series, but the Thunder has the ability to do so.
- Durant said the Thunder, entering its seventh Playoff series, has learned from the experience. He said he believes his team has grown since last season and he thinks it showed in the first two series this year.
- Perkins said the Spurs have a lot of talent but are also very smart and well-coached. The Thunder has to limit its mistakes, can’t get frustrated and just has to keep fighting whether things are going well or badly. Perkins also said that Tim Duncan is smart, crafty and can shoot from the outside, and is the best power forward to play the game.
- Perkins said it’s almost like the first day of school because it’s always fun to be a part of this level of basketball, particularly playing in the Western Conference Finals with the first- and second-seeded teams playing against one another.
- Head Coach Scott Brooks and guard James Harden both joked about being nervous, but it being a good nervous because it’s exciting and they have a great opportunity. Brooks said the Thunder is playing against one of the best teams and has to do a lot of things well to win. Harden said that nervousness will go away once the game starts, and that it’s more a sense of urgency.
- Brooks said the Thunder just has to go out there and work and do the things that have been successful all year. The Thunder is not coming into the game in awe of the Spurs, it is going to have respect for them but both teams know they can beat each other if they play well.
- Harden said having that five-day break between games helped the Thunder recover, heal their bodies and get ready for Game 1. It will be a fast-paced game and the Thunder is looking forward to it. Harden said the Thunder has to stay in attack mode, get to the basket and try to get to the foul line as well.