Sejumlah analis dan legenda bola basket membedah ketatnya persaingan mental serta taktis menjelang laga penentu gim ketujuh Final Wilayah Barat NBA antara Oklahoma City Thunder dan San Antonio Spurs di Paycom Center pada Sabtu malam waktu setempat.
Sorotan utama tertuju pada atmosfer unik gim ketujuh yang dinilai memiliki tekanan tersendiri bagi para atlet yang bertanding.
"Game 7s have a life of their own. Reggie, I watched an interview that you did, and you said that you don’t need to go back and watch Game 7s because they live as a constant loop in your head. Oftentimes with athletes, they remember the bad over the good." kata Mike Tirico, komentator pertandingan.
Mantan bintang NBA Reggie Miller kemudian merespons pernyataan tersebut dengan mengutip wejangan dari legenda lain mengenai pentingnya detail-detail kecil di lapangan.
"Larry Bird told me, ‘It’s the little things that make the big things happen.’ Every loose ball, every long rebound, and sometimes your mistakes can be magnified." ujar Reggie Miller, analis pertandingan.
Miller membagikan pengalamannya saat membela Indiana Pacers melawan Chicago Bulls pada gim ketujuh Final Wilayah Timur tahun 1998 silam.
"Game 7 in Chicago, 1998. There’s a jump ball. We are up by six points with a little over six minutes left in the game. It’s Rik Smits, 7’4”, and Michael Jordan, 6’6”. If we win that jump ball and score, we go up by eight or nine. Rik was supposed to tip it back to Antonio Davis, but somehow Michael wins the jump ball, gets the ball to Steve Kerr, who knocks down a three. That really took the wind out of our sail…Jordan took over the rest of the game and we lost." kata Reggie Miller, analis pertandingan.
Mantan pemain NBA lainnya, Jamal Crawford, turut menekankan bahwa menghadapi tekanan ekstrem semacam ini membutuhkan ketahanan mental yang kuat.
"For me, it was about feeling the pressure but also a certain freedom. It won’t be a perfect game. You gotta figure it out…You have to know that every little thing matters." ucap Jamal Crawford, analis pertandingan.
Sementara itu, mantan pebasket Tracy McGrady menilai identitas tim yang sudah terbangun sepanjang musim jauh lebih menentukan ketimbang strategi papan tulis.
"The X’s and O’s don’t really matter. What matters is the identity of who you’ve been through the regular season and postseason…It’s grueling, it’s tough, but it’s worth it." kata Tracy McGrady, analis program NBA Showtime.
McGrady juga menambahkan pandangannya mengenai beban yang dipikul oleh seorang pemain bintang serta pentingnya kontribusi para pemain pelapis.
"As a superstar, you want to set the tone right away. You want to show your guys you’re going to be extra-aggressive. You can be great all you want, but you’re going to need some backup." kata Tracy McGrady, analis program NBA Showtime.
Ia memprediksi persaingan sengit antara organisasi Thunder dan Spurs ini akan terus berlanjut hingga bertahun-tahun ke depan karena fondasi tim yang kuat.
"You have transcendent talent out there. You have two organizations that know how to continue building for decades. This is sustainable success for both of these franchises. We’re going to see this series for years to come." ujar Tracy McGrady, analis program NBA Showtime.
McGrady secara khusus menyoroti arti penting pertandingan ini bagi warisan karier Shai Gilgeous-Alexander di pentas NBA.
"This moment means everything. You’re a two-time MVP. You’re the reigning champion. You can go and be a two-time champion…He understands how important this postseason is and what it can do for his legacy. It can separate him from a lot of players." tutur Tracy McGrady, analis program NBA Showtime.
Ia meminta publik memaklumi penurunan efisiensi tembakan sang bintang karena ketatnya lini pertahanan lawan.
"He knows how to play in these games. He’s struggling offensively, but San Antonio is playing amazing defense against him…We have to give Shai some grace on that end." kata Tracy McGrady, analis program NBA Showtime.
Terakhir, McGrady menunjuk Isaiah Hartenstein sebagai faktor penentu dari kubu Thunder untuk meredam pergerakan Victor Wembanyama.
"(Isaiah) Hartenstein. Wemby has to shine tonight, and that’s his assignment. I’m looking to see how physical he can be with Wemby and how he can frustrate him." ucap Tracy McGrady, analis program NBA Showtime.
Dalam kesempatan yang sama, Vince Carter memaparkan bahwa seluruh pengalaman dari enam gim sebelumnya akan menjadi insting alami saat laga dimulai.
"The experience matters in your preparation, but once the basketball goes up, you use everything that you’ve gone through in six games. It’s an instinct." kata Vince Carter, analis program NBA Showtime.
Carter mengharapkan Wembanyama tampil lebih agresif dalam mengalirkan bola setelah mengamankan rebound.
"When he gets the rebound, I want to see him push the pace. That eliminates 10 eyes on you and you’re making Hartenstein and Chet have to put their hands on you and get to the free throw line." ujar Vince Carter, analis program NBA Showtime.
Ia juga sependapat dengan keharusan mengabaikan statistik efisiensi saat tensi pertandingan mencapai puncaknya.
"Points and percentages don’t matter in Game 7. What matters is how can you figure out to get the buckets you need?" kata Vince Carter, analis program NBA Showtime.
Beralih ke kubu pemain, garda San Antonio Spurs De'Aaron Fox menegaskan fokus utama timnya adalah mengeksekusi strategi sendiri.
"Whenever we’re playing them, we focus more on ourselves. Whenever we’re out there executing against whatever team it is, we give ourselves the best chance to win." kata De’Aaron Fox, pemain San Antonio Spurs.
Di sisi lain, senter Oklahoma City Thunder Chet Holmgren menyatakan kesiapan timnya berkat persiapan matang dari jajaran pelatih.
"We do a really good job of trusting our prep, and the coaches do a really good job of giving us what we need." kata Chet Holmgren, pemain Oklahoma City Thunder.
