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Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault dropped a truth bomb on the Denver Nuggets after his team's 125-93 victory. The Thunder took care of business in Game 7 of the second round, looking like the 68-win team they were throughout the regular season. Oklahoma City's stars and depth overwhelmed a tired, hurt Denver squad to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 35 points in this spirited affair.
While the Thunder looked very vulnerable throughout this series, Daigneault believes his team will benefit from this experience. The fifth-year head coach paid his respects to the Nuggets while looking at the bigger picture of how Oklahoma City will navigate the postseason going forward.
“They (the Nuggets) displayed the mettle of a champion. Obviously, they won championships with their core guys and displayed that in this series. The way that they got to this point and the run they gave us was impressive. And we have the utmost respect for their team. And we’re better now than we were at the beginning of the series, and it’s because of them. They pushed us to the limit, and we have so much respect for the guys in that locker room and their staff and organization.”
The Thunder will have to regroup quickly against a formidable Minnesota Timberwolves team in the Conference Finals
The Thunder showed their resolve throughout this series. This core is still one of the youngest in the NBA, and had several questions about it going into the second round. One of those questions was whether Oklahoma City could close tight contests against a Denver team known for winning close games. The Thunder did that on several occasions in this series, which will be very beneficial as the postseason goes on.
In addition, there's been a spotlight on Jalen Williams about whether he can be a reliable second option on a championship team. The 24-year-old had his share of ups and downs this series, but ended it on a high note on Sunday. Williams scored 24 points, seven assists, and five rebounds, leading a furious second-quarter run that pulled the Thunder away in this affair.
Now, OKC will direct its attention toward a hungry and rested Minnesota Timberwolves team. Anthony Edwards and company are eager to have a better showing at this stage of the playoffs than last season. The pressure will be on the Thunder to defend homecourt immediately, but this group has the depth to overcome little rest. Overall, Oklahoma City has a much better regular-season record than the three other teams in these playoffs. Mark Daigneault's group will be considered a clear favorite going forward to win its first NBA championship in franchise history. But it doesn't get any easier from here on out.
