The Oklahoma City Thunder are coming into Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers on the verge winning a championship. With a 3-2 lead in the series, the Thunder are hoping to close the Pacers out in Game 6 and avoid a winner-take-all Game 7. Ahead of the game, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault explained what the team needs to do in order to clinch an NBA championship in Game 6.

“We just have to be present, win the possessions, try not to get ahead of ourselves. Understand it’s a 48 minute game, understand it’s the same fundamentals, same habits that we always lean on are going to be relevant in the game, and bet on those,” Daigneault said. “We’re gonna need everybody tonight. This is going to be a tough, tough game and we’re going to need our best punch in order to win it.”

The Thunder split Games 3 and 4 on the Pacers’ home court earlier in this series, so they’ve proved they can win on the road in the NBA Finals. But the Pacers received a major boost before the game when it was revealed that star guard Tyrese Haliburton would indeed be available to play. Haliburton had been dealing with a calf injury.

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A win in Game 6 would give the Thunder their first NBA championship in team history. Although the Seattle Sonics won a title in 1979, the Thunder do not claim the Sonics’ history since moving to Oklahoma City.

It would also be the first title for Daigneault as head coach. He began his professional coaching career in 2014 with the Thunder’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue. He became an assistant coach on the Thunder staff under Billy Donovan, and then became head coach when Donovan and the organization parted ways in 2020. During his tenure as Thunder head coach, Daigneault has led the team to two playoff appearances in five seasons, including this year’s Finals appearance.