Thunder’s Isaiah Joe on NBA Finals prep, team chemistry, and blocking out the noise

With the Oklahoma City Thunder heading into the NBA Finals, Thunder reporter Steve McGehee caught up with guard Isaiah Joe to talk about the emotional highs of clinching the Western Conference title, how the team is preparing, and why this young squad doesn’t buy into the critics.

Q: What was the feeling like when you clinched a spot in the NBA Finals?

Joe:

I mean, it was great just to see the smiles on everybody’s faces — one step closer to our goal. We understand that there’s a lot more left to achieve. But being able to knock that off the block and get to our final destination and try to pursue our dreams, it was good. Families being involved, just being around all the guys, all the staff, the people that you put blood, sweat and tears in with all season — just having that moment, it’s always special.

Q: How beneficial was it to have a few days off after that celebration to reset and prepare for the Finals?

Joe:

It’s always good to get some days off just to let the body recuperate and take care of yourself. If you ask me, I wish it was a quicker turnaround — I think a week is a long time. But it’s definitely giving us a lot of time to get our bodies back in shape, take care of ourselves, and prepare for our next opponent.

Q: You’re playing basketball in June — normally that’s vacation time. What’s that like?

Joe:

Yeah. I mean, if we’re playing for what we’re playing for, then it’s worth it. I’d never go back and do anything different. We’re playing for an NBA championship, which is the ultimate goal. So no matter if it was June or May, I’m here for it.

Q: Does preparation change at all, or does it feel like a regular season routine?

Joe:

I think we do such a great job as a team of treating every game the same, pretty much. Obviously, we understand what’s at stake here, but the way we’ve prepared all season has kind of helped us. It’s not like we’re going up against some big giant. We’ve trained ourselves to stay in the moment and just understand that when the ball tips up, the 48 minutes is going to be the same.

Q: How much stock do you put into those earlier matchups against the Pacers this season?

Joe:

I think you can always take something away, but like you said, it’s a mini sample. It’s the playoffs, and the game changes ever so slightly. You never know what to expect. So you just gotta be prepared for any and everything. That’s what we’ve learned from our early matches in these series. Obviously, the energy is going to be turned up — the aggression, the intensity, all that. It’s going to be on a whole other level. But just being true to ourselves and sticking to what we know — the game we know how to play — I think if we can be who we really are, then no matter what happens on that floor, we’ll be satisfied with the result.

Q: Everyone on the bench needs to be ready — it’s been that way all season. I imagine that won’t change in the Finals?

Joe:

Yeah. You never know when your number is gonna get called. I think everybody, from players to the staff, has been ready for whatever. When your name is called, we’ve been professional all season. So whenever you’re out there on the floor, you understand that we’re just trying to win — just trying to win by any means possible.

Q: Some national voices said this team was too young and lacked playoff experience. Was there ever a moment you felt that narrative flipped?

Joe:

Well, I don’t think we’ve ever really listened to the outside noise. I think our success so far has been a product of us staying within our inner circle — within the team — and not letting any of the outside noise get to us. People can always talk, but all we can control is what we can control. And I think we’ve done a great job with that.

Q: Would you say these next few days are leading to the biggest basketball moment of your life?

Joe:

Correct. Yeah. I mean, shoot — hopefully we can just keep chipping away to the very end. But yeah, this is what we live for.

Q: Finish this sentence: You will win an NBA title this summer because…

Joe:

Because we played together, and we understand that the chemistry we have off the court is going to help us. And the work that we put in is going to lead us all the way.