OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Hindi pa tapos ang laban sakaling mabigo ang Thunder sa Game Six laban sa Golden State Warriors sa Sabado (Linggo sa Manila), sa Western Conference finals.
Ngunit, kung magagawa nila, mas makabubuti para sa Thunder.
Ang pagwawagi ay magbibigay sa Oklahoma City, ng pagkakataong makausad sa NBA Finals sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon mula noong 2012. Ngunit, kung mabibigo, may tsansa pang nalalabi, subalit malalagay sila sa balag ng alanganin.
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Gaganapin ang Game Seven sa Oracle Center kung saan tatlong beses pa lamang natatalo ang Warriors sa kabuuan ng season.
Subalit, para kay Thunder coach Billy Donovan, hindi kailangang isaksak sa isipan ng Thunder ang kahihinatnan ng resulta.
“We’ve got to play the 48 minutes tomorrow night,” pahayag ni Donovan.
“That’s really what it comes down to. You can get caught up in thinking about the future and what the results mean at the end of the game. But the bottom line is the result at the end of the game will happen, and what you don’t want to do is be focused on the result and forget to do your job during the course of 48 minutes,” aniya.
Nabuhayan ang Warriors sa panalo sa home game sa Game Five. Sa sariling tahanan, malupit ang Thunder at ito ang kailangan nila para hindi na magbalik sa Oracle.
Pinulbos ng Thunder ang Warriors sa Game Three, 133-105, at dinurog ang karibal sa Game Four, 118-94.
At alam ng Warriors na alanganin ang kanilang kalagayan sa lugar na tinaguriang “Loud City”.
“It will take all of our IQ, all of our gamesmanship, and just 48 great minutes to get a win down there, considering how the last two games have gone,” pahayag ni Warriors guard Stephen Curry.
Naisalba ng defending champion ang season sa matikas na 120-111 panalo nitong Huwebes, sa Oakland. Kahit sisinghap-singhap, may nalalabing pag-asa para maidepensa ang kanilang korona.
“Our guys have had a spectacular run here the last two years,” pahayag ni Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
“They’ve loved every second of it. They don’t want it to end, and no matter how you look at it, if you’re not the last team standing, it’s tough. It’s a disappointing way to go out. So we want to hang in there. We want to win the next two and get back to the finals,” aniya.
