The Thunder had to overcome first-half deficits of 13 and 17 points in the series which is knotted at one game each.
“We just have to play harder to start the games,” said Durant during Saturday’s practice. “We are doing it a little too late. We watched film — the first 10 minutes of the game and we kind of relaxed. I don’t know why.
“It was tough to watch … you look at it and say ‘wow, did I really just do that?’
“It falls back on me as a leader. I have to start the games with a lot of intensity. No matter if I am making shots or missing shots or if I make a bad defensive rotation. I just have got to start off with a lot of energy.”
The Thunder rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit to win game one 105-94. They dug themselves an even deeper hole in the first quarter of game two by falling behind by 17 points. But this time they couldn’t climb out of it, losing 100-96.
— Reported by Greg Heakes of the Associated Press
