Mark Daigneault dishes on Thunder dealing with 'emotional gaps' following Game 2 loss

The ideal scenario in any playoff series is that teams with home-court advantage win on their home turf and look to steal games while on the road. Unfortunately for the OKC Thunder, they've already squandered this particular edge in their best-of-seven semifinal bout, as the visiting Mavericks downed them in Game 2 on Thursday night.

A hard-fought affair from start to finish, both clubs traded blows left and right, with star players coming up big under the postseason's bright lights. Unfortunately, it was Luka Doncic and company who had the last say on the night, as the superstar's 29-point efforts helped spearhead the charge for Dallas' 119-110 triumph out at Paycom Center.

With this turn of events, it officially marks the first time the Thunder have endured a loss during this year's playoff run. And while some fans may feel as if the sky is falling following such an outcome, coach Mark Daigneault curbed any fears of "emotional gaps," as one reporter put it, ahead of Game 3 and beyond.

Mark Daigneault halts fears of 'emotional gaps' after Thunder loss

"We've lost a game before. This isn't uncharted waters. We just haven't lost lately with long layoffs and a sweep in the first round. The team pulls together. The thing I respect about our guys is that they pull together in adversity and we've pulled together in success, which is hard to do, too. Everything we do as a team we'll learn from this one as a team and we'll walk out there as a team on Saturday."

- Mark Daigneault

Combined with their final five games of the season and their first-round sweep over the New Orleans Pelicans, over the last month and change of action, the Thunder hold a record of 10-1.

This snapping of such a luxurious streak is certainly not something the franchise's faithful followers were hoping to see, especially on their home floor, but, based on history and sheer statistics, was inevitable.

Championship teams are defined by how they manage to deal with adversity and, hopefully, coach Daigneault can get Oklahoma City in a position where they can bounce back big as soon as Saturday.