Thunder's Title Challenge Welcomes Pacers' Haliburton as Formidable Opponent
"' these guys are a spectacular team,' Haliburton proclaimed, speaking of the Thunder comprising an impressive 68 regular-season wins - largely due to a MVP-caliber season from point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
"Historically, they excel both offensively and defensively," Haliburton stated, listing numerous reasons for their greatness as a team. "My dream isn't a shortcut to a championship. I want to dominate the best, conquer the most formidable challenge. And that team is the Thunder - the best team in the NBA, leading the pack all season long."
Having secured their conference finals victory against Minnesota a week ago, the Thunder have had eight days to rest before this heated matchup. The Pacers, who defeated Cleveland in the second round of the playoffs, clinched their series against New York Knicks on Saturday, although they initially missed their chance to clinch it in game five.
"Experts and analysts don't consider us contenders," Haliburton conceded. "But that’s alright. We prefer it that way. It will make our victory even sweeter."
Besides a tight schedule, the Pacers encountered a travel setback, with a storm causing their flight to be diverted to Tulsa rather than Oklahoma City on Tuesday.
"I snoozed during the entire flight, which I hardly ever do," Haliburton shared. "Upon landing, I was ready to get started. They told me we were in Tulsa."
Although the detour added a few hours to their day, Haliburton deemed it a trivial ordeal.
"We have bigger fish to fry," he quipped. "We'll be ready to bring it."
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"Haliburton aims to prove that the Pacers can dominate the best team in the NBA, the Thunder, who have shown incredible teamwork both offensively and defensively, leading the pack all season long in the NBA."
"Despite the travel setback that added a few hours to their day, Haliburton remains focused, stating that the Thunder have 'bigger fish to fry' and are ready to bring their A-game in the upcoming matchup."
