Mark Daigneault Articles - Page 3

The Oklahoma City Thunder have maintained a unified front over the last couple of years both during and after their games. They huddle together in courtside interviews and constantly horse around like they are back on the playground. Their youthful enthusiasm is pure and infectious. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the franchise’s leader and superstar, kept that strong […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder led the NBA with 68 wins during the regular season. However, the Minnesota Timberwolves were one of only a couple teams who split the season series against them. Ahead of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the two teams left standing in the West, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder will face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in a Game 1 matchup in the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday. It’s a highly anticipated contest, as we’ll see plenty of talent on the court late in the playoffs. Leading into the game, OKC head coach Mark Daigneault shared the one key detail […]

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso revealed his message for the fans after eliminating the Denver Nuggets. The No. 1 seed in the Western Conference lived up to its 68-win total, blowing out the Nuggets 125-93 in Game 7 of the second round. Caruso has been a significant part of this franchise’s success this postseason. […]

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 […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder fan base erupted over multiple plays executed by their home team. But Cason Wallace got everyone in the Paycom Center on their feet during the third quarter of this NBA Playoff game. By delivering a poster dunk over Nikola Jokic. Wallace hit the acceleration while in transition. He faced the 6-foot-11 […]

Alex Caruso isn’t giving the Denver Nuggets fits with his scoring. Not with 11 points through three quarters. But the Oklahoma City Thunder veteran instead amazed with this element: His defense on Nikola Jokic on Sunday in Game 7. The 6-foot-5, 186-pound Caruso entered the Paycom Center at a significant size advantage compared to “Joker.” […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — The stage is set for Game 7 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets, but starting forward Aaron Gordon’s status remained uncertain hours before tip-off. Before Nuggets coach David Adelman provided an update, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault revealed what he anticipates in Game 7. Then, Adelman revealed Gordon’s status. […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault held the team’s final practice before facing the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals at the Paycom Center. Focusing on the approach that got them to this point, Daigneault says his team’s focus in Sunday’s matchup is critical and that there’s […]

As the Oklahoma City Thunder prepares for Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets, one would think that the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference doesn’t have as much pressure as the other team, but Frank Isola would argue that point. With the Thunder looking for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and others to lead them to the […]

After a 119-107 loss to the Denver Nuggets, the Oklahoma City Thunder will host Game 7 at the Paycom Center on Sunday, where Mark Daigneault will look to guide All-Stars Jalen Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Thunder to their first Western Conferece Finals. In Game 6, Williams turned in his worst shooting performance of the […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder are storming through the NBA playoffs, and it’s not just their stars drawing attention. This week, Kendrick Perkins had praise for the Thunder, and it quickly exploded across social media after the ESPN analyst delivered a bold take on the team’s elite bench depth, with quite the comparison for the teams […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — After winning Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets, 112-107, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren gave his head coach, Mark Daigneault, credit for keeping faith in his players. Constantly focused on improving and not shocking his doubters, Daigneault is turning NBA fans into believers with a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference […]

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 […]

DENVER — After beating the Denver Nuggets 92-87, tying their Western Conference semifinal series 2-2, in Game 4, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault gushed over his team’s secondary production. After Thunder forward Chet Holmgren mentioned the quick turnaround from Game 3, a matinee with a 1:30 p.m. MST scheduled tip-off, Oklahoma City’s bench […]

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 […]