"After you have a run like last year, and then you get swept in the Eastern Conference finals, and all the conversation is about how you don't belong there, and how you lucked out to get there, and that it was a fluke, guys are going to be pissed off," Haliburton said. "We're going to spend the summer pissed off."

Even after his game-winner, Haliburton said they must play better. He quickly understood they stole Game 1. If you replayed the final three minutes, the Thunder likely would squeeze out a win in 99 out of 100 simulations. That doesn't make it sting any less for OKC, though. You don't win titles in hypotheticals.