Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault gave a warning to his team after the Game 2 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The Western Conference No. 1 seed once again took over a game from the jump and was comfortably in front throughout this 118-99 victory. This 68-win team has looked like the cream of the crop so far in these NBA Playoffs. However, the Thunder head coach showed in the postgame that he is not taking anything for granted going forward.

According to Thunder sideline reporter Nick Gallo, Daigneault particularly highlighted how the trio of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. were aggressive in this clash, taking 59 out of Memphis' 91 shots. OKC beat writer for Daily Thunder, Brandon Rahbar, revealed Daigneault's expectations for those three and the rest of the Grizzlies team in Game 3.

“When we go to Memphis, we gotta expect those guys to be super impressive. They’re going back to their home crowd where they play really well.”

The Thunder's No. 1-rated defense is carrying over to the playoffs

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Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) shoots a three point basket as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) defends during the second half of game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center
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Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) and guard Luguentz Dort (5) hug after their team defeated the Denver Nuggets during the second half of game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center with Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the background
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Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) celebrate
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Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) reach for a loose ball in the third quarter during game two of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center.
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Even with likely league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander getting off to a slow offensive start, the Thunder have looked dominant. And that's impressive considering that the Memphis Grizzlies are not an average No. 8 seed. Memphis entered this series at 48-34 and spent much of the season in the West Conference top 3. A late-season slide caused the franchise to slip down the rankings and fire head coach Taylor Jenkins. Nevertheless, this is a dangerous team that believes it can compete with any team in the league.

That includes the Oklahoma City Thunder, who put together one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory. So far, though, OKC's relentless defense and depth have overwhelmed the Grizzlies. Gilgeous-Alexander led the way on Tuesday with 27 points, while budding stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren put up 24 and 20 points. The Thunder bench once again delivered a stellar performance as the unit racked up 33 points to Memphis' 14. Alex Caruso led this unit with 13 and was a +18 when he was on the floor.

Overall, through two games, the Thunder have looked every part of the championship-caliber team they are expected to be. That being said, a series doesn't officially start until one of the teams wins on the other's home court. OKC will get that chance on Thursday to put the proverbial nail in the Grizzlies' coffin. Mark Daigneault knows that this is the best team he has had during his tenure, but it's one game at a time and one series at a time. Memphis is way too dangerous to look past, and the Thunder are still fully locked in on their target.