Subscribe
Follow Us
OKLAHOMA CITY — After stating he had no issues with his team's intentional fouls in the final defensive possessions of Monday's 121-119 loss to the Denver Nuggets in the first game of their NBA Playoffs series, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault backtracked on his own comments.
Daigneault initially defended his decision to foul the Nuggets intentionally but said it could have been executed better. And that's on him.
Up by three points, Daigneault says the Thunder typically sends their opponent to the free-throw line to avoid giving up a three-pointer. However, after the Nuggets returned the favor, sending Chet Holmgren to the line, it opened up a chance to steal Game 1 after Holmgren missed both free throws. Nuggets veteran Aaron Gordon drained a game-winning three.
After the loss, Daigneault took the blame for the timing of the Thunder's intentional fouls and for sticking to his ‘up by three, foul for two' rule that blew up in his face in the final possessions of Game 1.
“I did think the backcourt fouls hurt us. And again, we can learn from that — the fouling up three — that's on me,” Daigneault said. “I think giving a foul and getting the foul executed is critical. If there's something to be learned from that, it's probably giving it too early on my part. That's not on the players. They're executing what I tell them to do.”
After fouling themselves into the penalty midway through the fourth quarter, the Nuggets used the precious time needed to make a 13-point comeback in the last five minutes by draining free throws with the clock stopped. The Nuggets connected on 13 of 16 free throws in the final 6:08.
Article Continues Below
Mark Daigneault breaks down intentional fouls in Thunder loss
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault doesn't believe his intentional fouls in the final minute of Game 1 cost his team the game but says it could have been executed better. After Chet Holmgren missed his last free throws against the Nuggets, Aaron Gordon drained a three in transition.
After the loss, Daigneault says the Thunder stood by his rule: if you're up by three, send the opponent to the free-throw line for the two.
“Usually our deal is to foul up by three and to play that game. I think we executed the fouls pretty well,” Daigneault said. “Got the ball inbounds pretty well. Didn't go our way tonight, but it's worked out well for us in the past. We continue to look at it, learn from it. But I didn't think that's why we lost the game.”
The Thunder will look to bounce back in Game 2 on Wednesday.
