OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault commended his team's approach amid the first 13 games of the regular season and a 12-1 start. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 30-point performance led the Thunder in a 121-92 blowout win on Wednesday at the Paycom Center.
After the win, Daigneault addressed the gains he's seen in his team throughout the first 13 games of 2025-26, but cautioned everyone that this is the time of the regular season, where other teams improve, as well. Daigneault says the Thunder will have to keep getting better as a team.
“We’re a better team today than we were 13 games ago. The thing is we have the maturity to understand there’s 70 more games,” Daigneault said. “And the rest of the league is gonna continue to evolve and improve, and we have to do that to pace with the rest of the league. The guy have done a great job carrying that mindset for a long time but we have to carry that mindset despite the fact we’ve had early success.”
Gilgeous-Alexander's 30 points led seven Thunder players in double figures against the Warriors, including Isaiah Joe's 21 points, including four threes, off the bench, and Ajay Mitchell added 14 points and three steals.
Mark Daigneault on the Thunder's depth in back-to-back wins
The Thunder followed up its 126-101 blowout win against the Warriors with a 19-point win against the Lakers on the second night of a back-to-back. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault credited his team's depth, which has helped it rattle off 12 wins in its first 13 outings as defending champions.
“Our depth has been on display these last couple of games,” Daigneault said. “Even the second quarter in Memphis was big for us, cutting into that lead when we went down early. We come in with that second unit lately, and they've done a great job to start the second. And then, we come back in with a cycle of guys from the first quarter, and they can sustain it.
“We want to be as close to a 48-minute team as we can. When you have a bunch of guys that perform when their numbers are called, then that helps.”
The Thunder will take the next two days off before traveling to face the Hornets on Saturday.
