Donovan: I Think our Game 7 was Yesterday Too

Billy Donovan says playing a Game 7 is all about facing elimination. We'll tell you how the experience of winning Game 6 has Oklahoma City Ready for Wednesday.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are in the same place they were 24 hours ago, facing elimination from the playoffs. Wednesday's Game 7 vs. The Houston Rockets will send one team to the Western Conference Semifinals to play the Lakers while the other will leave the bubble. 

While very few players on the Oklahoma City roster have been in a winner take all situation, they have all dealt with the prospect of having their season come to an end. Head coach Billy Donovan says tomorrow night's game is no different than the one they just played. 

Another day, another opportunity to be better than the last. pic.twitter.com/zFrHJN73cw

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) September 1, 2020

"I think out Game 7 was yesterday too."..." Game 7 always comes down to an elimination game, and we were in an elimination game yesterday." 

"I feel like coming into Game 7, we kind of experienced the feeling of knowing that if the game doesn't go our way last night, our season's over."

For Steven Adams, Chris Paul, and Danilo Gallinari, this is nothing new; it's up to them to guide the Thunder's young guns through what will be an emotionally draining couple of days. Gallinari is treating Wednesday like any other postseason matchup. 

"I think the way you approach this (Game 7) is like another playoff game."..." I think we need to take all the positive stuff we did in the last game, especially the approach and attention to  detail we had for 48 minutes." 

After scoring 1 point in Game 5, Gallinari lit the Rockets up for 25 on Monday. The Thunder keeps proving time, and again they are built for the big moments, and they don't get any bigger than a Game 7.

As long as it's close late in the fourth quarter, you have to like their chances to advance into the second round for the first time in three years. 

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With more than 20 years of experience hosting local and national radio shows, Erik Gee is a fixture of Oklahoma sports media. He has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for the past six seasons. He is also the co-host of the Pat Jones show on 97.1 The Sports Animal in Tulsa.