Mark Daigneault Articles - Page 3

DENVER — After Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams addressed his lack of touches late in the fourth quarter and overtime in Game 3’s 113-104 loss against the Denver Nuggets, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault gave reporters an explanation. During his postgame media availability, Daigneault said he wanted to rewatch Friday’s loss to understand better […]

With their backs against the wall, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault knows the biggest challenge ahead of his team. However, a horrid performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t make matters easier. On Saturday, the head coach rationalized the faith he has in Gilgeous-Alexander, despite the bad game. “He’s the man at that,” Daigneault said […]

DENVER — After a 113-104 loss in overtime, where the Denver Nuggets grabbed an 11-2 advantage in the extra period, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault says adversity is par for the course. To be great and fulfill the championship aspirations put forth by his 2024-25 Thunder squad comes with hurdles. And after Thunder […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault inserted Jaylin Williams into Game 2 at the 7:36 mark in the first quarter on Wednesday. Williams, who played three minutes in Game 1, entered the game to defend Denver Nuggets All-Star and league MVP Nikola Jokic. Daigneault stuck to his game plan on Jokic, […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder entered Game 2 trailing Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets after a disappointing finish in their series opener, but they wouldn’t change their approach. In a historic 149-106 beating, Daigneault and the Thunder stuck to who they are, as the head coach put it, rather […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault watched his All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander make NBA playoff history in a Game 2 blowout win against the Denver Nuggets. In a 149-106 victory, Gilgeous-Alexander turned in an epic stat line like no other player has in the association. He finished with 34 points, eight assists, and […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — After a disappointing 121-119 loss in the series opener, head coach Mark Daigneault and his Oklahoma City Thunder punched back with a 43-point blowout win against the Denver Nuggets in Game 2. Evening the Western Conference semifinals series 1-1, the Thunder’s 82-point first half set an NBA record for most playoff points […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault looks forward to seeing Chet Holmgren bounce back in Game 2 against the Denver Nuggets after Holmgren missed two free throws late in the fourth quarter of a 121-119 Game 1 loss. Heading into Game 2 down 1-0, the Thunder will look to even the […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault isn’t concerned over his All-Star forward Jalen Williams’ abysmal shooting in Game 1’s 121-119 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday. In a game where the Nuggets erased a 14-point Thunder lead by rebounding, drawing trips to the free-throw line, and efficient late-game execution, Williams’ […]

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 […]

For much of Game 1 of their second-round matchup against the Denver Nuggets, the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team that’s won 72 games thus far this season, were in control. Even in the dying embers of the game, the Thunder were in command, as they held a 119-116 lead with 11 seconds to go after […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Before Monday’s Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault addressed Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman’s seven-player rotation. After winning his first playoff series, Adelman and the Nuggets will face the Thunder two days removed from a 129-101 Game 7 win against the Los Angeles […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault understands his organization and fans’ allegiance to Denver Nuggets veteran Russell Westbrook. Many predict a close series between the Thunder and Nuggets, a series headlined by the NBA’s leading MVP candidates, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. However, the depth of Oklahoma City and Denver’s supporting cast could swing […]

Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder are preparing to take on a Denver Nuggets team they’re unfamiliar with, riding the high of a Game 7 blowout win against the Los Angeles Clippers. After a 4-0 sweep against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Thunder will prepare for Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, who split their regular-season […]

While preparing for the Western Conference semifinals, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault reflected on All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s leading role. Daigneault revealed his approach for the second round before speaking on Gilgeous-Alexander’s growth over the years, as the MVP candidate is heading into his second semifinal appearance. Daigneault spoke on Gilgeous-Alexander’s candor and demeanor […]

As the NBA world reacts to San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich’s retirement, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault shares his view on the revered coach. He has plenty to say about Popovich’s influence on the association as Mark Daigneault and the Thunder prepare for round 2. Oklahoma City will find out which […]

As the Oklahoma City Thunder await their Western Conference semifinal opponent, either the Denver Nuggets or the Los Angeles Clippers, head coach Mark Daigneault discussed preparing his players for either team this week. After the Thunder swept the Memphis Grizzlies 4-0 in the opening round, Daigneault says the Thunder have focused on improving as a […]

After watching Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren’s three-point shooting percentage spike in the opening-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies, head coach Mark Daigneault is encouraging more of the same from his starting big man. Holmgren and the Thunder swept the Grizzlies 4-0, and as they await their second-round opponent, Daigneault revealed Chet’s 6.5 attempts […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder are getting cute on social media and getting compliments from the Memphis Grizzlies while waiting for a second-round NBA Playoffs opponent. Down time is not dead time, though, not for Mark Daigneault’s ‘imperfect’ Thunder. Everything around the organization is focused on building a championship culture and letting everyone feel they have […]

As the ‘imperfect’ Oklahoma City Thunder charge through the NBA Playoffs, a collective hunger and unselfish play have become defining traits of the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-led squad. Second-year guard Cason Wallace is another new addition that embodies Oklahoma City’s underdog spirit and camaraderie, which propelled them to a rather straightforward series sweep of Ja Morant’s Memphis […]

The Memphis Grizzlies entered the NBA Playoffs with hopes of making noise as a young, hungry team. Instead, Jaren Jackson Jr. was among many handed a harsh reality check by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who completed a first-round sweep with a dominant performance that left EVP Zach Kleiman searching for answers. The series, […]

MEMPHIS — After beating the Memphis Grizzlies 117-115 in Game 4 and completing a 4-0 sweep, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault applauded his first-round opponent. After Ja Morant suffered a hip injury in Game 3, he was ruled out for Game 4. It was a significant hurdle for Memphis, which Daigneault pointed out after Thursday’s […]

MEMPHIS — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has watched his starting center, Isaiah Hartenstein, adapt seamlessly to his team and its players. Before Game 4, Daigneault revealed the importance of being down 29 points on Thursday from a strengthening standpoint as a team. As for Hartenstein, from growing as a constant two-way threat […]

MEMPHIS — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault knows his team can learn numerous lessons from Thursday’s 114-108 Game 3 win against the Memphis Grizzlies. Daigneault addressed a few during his media availability after Thunder practice on Friday. For his young team, Daigneault says the playoff experience of facing such a deficit on the road comes […]

MEMPHIS — Despite Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder coming off their most winning regular season in franchise history, head coach Mark Daigneault doesn’t forget that he’s leading the youngest team in the NBA. Maintaining his team’s confidence is vital in their series against the Memphis Grizzlies. After Holmgren entered halftime 0-for-4, Daigneaut instilled […]

MEMPHIS — Before Jalen Williams spoke on their 29-point comeback against the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 3, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault gushed over Alex Caruso’s performance. Caruso’s impact forced critical turnovers down the stretch. With the game tied at 108, Alex blocked Jaren Jackson Jr. at the 2:15 mark. Then, stole the […]

MEMPHIS — With a 2-0 lead, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault warned his team of the Memphis Grizzlies’ resilience before Game 3 on Thursday. After Daigneault highlighted Cason Wallace’s playoff impact thus far, he reminded his guys and the media of how the Grizzlies reached their first-round series in the first place. After losing to […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City veteran guard Alex Caruso says he’s one of the elite competitors in the NBA after Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault highlighted his performance in Game 2’s 118-99 win against the Memphis Grizzlies. Caruso’s 13 points led the second unit. He also added four rebounds, three assists, and three steals on […]

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 […]

Mark Daigneault made it clear he’s not chasing perfection after the Oklahoma City Thunder’s commanding 51-point victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1 of their NBA playoff series. The 40-years-young coach, in his fifth season leading Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s upstart, small-market Thunder, emphasized that basketball’s inherent flaws are part of what defines the game, even […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault appreciated Isaiah Hartenstein advocating for Lu Dort, protesting that the Thunder guard wasn’t named a finalist for DPOY. Hartenstein wasn’t the only one pulling for Lu. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander endorsed Dort for DPOY, and so did his fellow All-Star teammate Jalen Williams. Daigneault addressed the support for Dort when […]

The Memphis Grizzlies were embarrassed by the Oklahoma City Thunder 131-80 in Game 1 of their NBA Playoffs first-round face-off. After a lopsided, historically bad loss on Easter Sunday, Ja Morant is making guarantees for the regrouping Grizzlies. Scotty Pippen Jr. is being more practical, emphasizing a forward-focused mindset. Adapting to how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault watched Aaron Wiggins’ 21 points off the bench lead his team in a historic 51-point win in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies. After Daigneault predicted a tougher Grizzlies team in Game 2, he discussed Wiggins’ growth as one of the […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — After an unprecedented 2024-25 regular season, head coach Mark Daigneault and his Oklahoma City Thunder made NBA history in their 131-80 series-opening blowout win against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Thunder’s 51-point victory is the largest Game 1 win the association has ever seen. However, on Tuesday, Daigneault is prepared to see a […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault finished the 2024-25 regular season with two of his players, All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort, two guards, as candidates for DPOY. After explaining his reasoning, ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins supports Dort in the DPOY race over Golden Sate Warriors veteran Draymond Green. Perkins observed Green call for […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault shared his perspective on Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic’s controversial fourth-quarter ejection in Tuesday’s 136-120 win at the Paycom Center. After a Thunder fan triggered Doncic into a reaction that led to his second technical foul, Daigneault defended the officials with skepticism on whether […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault is just as surprised as most about the Denver Nuggets firing head coach Michael Malone weeks before the NBA postseason. Before Daigneault faced the Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch from Sunday’s lopsided loss on Tuesday, he addressed the biggest news in the association surrounding […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Before facing the Los Angeles Lakers in a rare two-game mini-series at the tail end of the regular season, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault reminded reporters of the fundamental element of facing a potential playoff matchup. For Daigneault, it’s less of an opportunity for the Thunder to gain an advantage […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Before facing the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault addressed the advantages of a two-game series against the potential playoff opponent. After Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams addressed the Lakers after Friday’s loss, Daigneault discussed the significance of hosting two games in two days against Los Angeles. […]