Mark Daigneault, at the helm of the Oklahoma City Thunder, prepares for his second playoff run while managing expectations for a young, assertive roster. Ahead of Game 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies, he emphasized the imperfect nature of basketball, urging his players to remain focused on executing their game plan despite inevitable mistakes.

With a nearly clean injury report, the Thunder will mainly miss Ousmane Dieng and Nikola Topic. Rookie Ajay Mitchell, who recently returned from injury, is expected to contribute, albeit in a limited role. Daigneault's confidence in Mitchell reflects the team's need for collective effort to navigate the playoffs successfully.