OKC Thunder 'Excited For The Challenge' After First Playoff Loss to Mavs

The Thunder suffered their first loss of the playoffs on Thursday, posing a new challenge.

May 9, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) drives / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Over the course of the Oklahoma City Thunder's 82-game regular season, they displayed plenty of resiliency. They did so as one of the youngest teams in the NBA, posting a 57-25 record to earn the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. That resiliency is being tested heading into Saturday.

The Thunder was due for a playoff loss, though it didn't come in the first round. They swept the eight-seeded New Orleans Pelicans. After taking Game 1 over the Dallas Mavericks in dominating fashion, they dropped Game 2 on their home floor.

Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spoke about losing their first game of the postseason.

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"I'm excited for the challenge," Gilgeous-Alexander said after the loss.

The Mavericks won 119-110 -- doing so behind key play from PJ Washington and Tim Hardaway Jr. They were relentless from beyond the arc, ripping the net throughout the entire game.

While the Mavericks' shooting is going to be hard to replicate, as they shot 18-of-37 on 3-pointers, they head to their home floor for Games 3 and 4. They're going to be able to rally behind their defense and star players -- making life incredibly tough for the Thunder.

It's good that Gilgeous-Alexander is excited about the challenge. The rest of the squad needs to be excited about it, too. It's going to be every bit of a challenge. Losing a home game puts the Thunder at a disadvantage. Now the pressure is on for them to take at least one of the next two road games.

Now, the American Airlines Center is one of the league's toughest environments. This is going to impact the Thunder. They've got to find a way to play spoiler on the road, or else they could find themselves down 3-1, essentially putting an end to the season.

Soon, this time will have an opportunity to show what they're made of. They're up for a big challenge, with a season-defining moment soon to come. They're going to have to show the resiliency we saw from them all season long.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault -- in his fourth year as the team's head coach -- has done an incredible job in moments like these. But this is his first playoff appearance, too.

"Curious but confident," Daigneault said of the loss. "This is part of the deal. This is the playoffs."

This team, who dealt with a silly notion that they were too young ahead of the playoffs, has a chance to further deteriorate that narrative.

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READ MORE: Oklahoma City Drops First Game in 2024 Playoffs, Mavericks Tie Series

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