OKLAHOMA CITY — After Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led his team to victory in Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault pointed to his team’s poise, which erased a 12-point deficit to grab a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals. Lu Dort’s confidence led to making three threes in the final frame, which pulled Oklahoma City one step closer to reaching the Western Conference Finals.

However, Daigneault doesn’t view the Thunder’s postseason as a defiant run toward its non-believers, fixated on the team’s youth and inexperience. Instead, he sees his talented team reaching its potential without paying attention to any outside noise.

“We don’t play to answer anybody. We just play for one another, for our fans, the guys have an unbelievable connection in the locker room. That’s enough for us, and they’ve had an unbelievable spirit,” Daigneault said. “That’s what they’ve accomplished to this point, and it’s why they show the type of resolve on a night. For a lot of that game, we didn’t have our fastball. But we hang around long enough and showed great will and connectedness down the stretch.”

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault watched his team outscore the Nuggets 34-19 in the final frame. Oklahoma City hasn’t reached the Western Conference Finals in nine years.

Lu Dort’s confident claim after Thunder won Game 5

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Thunder veteran guard Lu Dort connected on three timely threes in two minutes throughout the fourth quarter. The 112-105 win pushes the Nuggets to the brink of elimination. After the win, Dort spoke to his offensive approach to ensuring he’s ready to step up in fourth-quarter situations, especially in the postseason.

Still, Dort says Tuesday’s performance is undoubtedly a byproduct of his years of hard work and dedication.

“I put a lot of work in. I work on those types of shots,” Dort said. “I’ve been in those situations before. I’ve been to war. So, I just have to keep believing in myself. My teammates have my back all the time. I had a great year shooting threes this year. So, I got to keep believing and keep trusting it, and I’ll keep doing it.”

Dort finished with 12 points on four threes, three rebounds, and one assist in Game 5. After trailing the Nuggets 1-0, the Thunder took a 3-2 lead and will look to close out their Western Conference semifinal series against the Nuggets on the road at Ball Arena in Game 6 on Thursday.