Mark Daigneault Discusses Preparation for Indiana Pacers, NBA Finals

The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals. Mark Daigneault dished on the preparation process for the NBA Finals.

May 28, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault celebrates with his team after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in game five to win the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals. This is a new stage for both clubs as the Thunder's most recent trip to the NBA Finals was in 2012, while the Pacers last made it to this spot in 2000.

This also marks new territory in preparation for the OKC Thunder.

Oklahoma City is used to lay offs between series. In back to back seasons, they waited a week for the NBA Play-In tournament to wrap up before sweeping that first round series having to wait around for the second round series to wrap up. They typically have not found out its matchup until just a day or two before a series began.

Now, the Thunder have known its NBA Finals foe for six days leading up to Game 1 of the series. At practice on Monday, OKC head coach Mark Daigneault was asked about the different preparation for this setting.

"We try to discipline ourselves not to [over-prepare], we certainly don't want an overthinking team in Game 1. So, we are trying to strike that balance," Daigneault explained. "That said, with these teams that are in the Eastern Conference, we are a little less familiar with them than we would be with a Western Conference opponent. Teams like Denver, we have played so many times over the last couple of years, because they are a division team, Minnesota is a team that we were pretty familiar with. Indian,a we have played, obviously, and played relatively recently. But we just do not have the volume against them or them us. There is probably a little more introduction needed, but we try to air on the side of less, to be honest with you."

This is going to be a fun matchup between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals.