Mark Daigneault Articles - Page 7

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault remembers navigating a young Shai Gilgeous-Alexander through his second NBA season. Years before Gilgeous-Alexander was a back-to-back candidate for MVP, Daigneault observed a young guard trying to find his way. After the Thunder’s 132-111 win against the Indiana Pacers, Mark revealed the most significant strides […]

Years before Oklahoma City Thunder center Jaylin Williams recorded his second triple-double, he had his first conversation with head coach Mark Daigneault. Williams revealed that he didn’t know Daigneault was the Thunder head coach during his predraft workout with the team. The NBA’s 2024 Coach of the Year was still unrecognizable in 2022, two years into […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault watched starting center Isaiah Hartenstein make franchise history in Thursday’s 125-104 victory against the Memphis Grizzlies. On the same special night, the Thunder’s 61st win set a new franchise record, and Hartenstein set the franchise record for most assists by a center in a single […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Head coach Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder recorded their 61st win on Thursday, setting a new franchise record for most wins in a regular season. Keyed by a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter, the Thunder defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 125-104. After Daigneault gave his bench a ton of credit […]

After the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Sacramento Kings 121-105, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault credited his bench players for their consistency despite receiving inconsistent playing time. For some, staying ready doesn’t guarantee minutes. Still, Daigneault appreciates his team’s head-down, work-hard approach. Daigneault says, despite the inconsistent opportunities, his second unit remains reliant. “We’ve had […]

After Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander broke Kevin Durant’s record for most consecutive 20+ point games in Tuesday’s 121-105 win against the Sacramento Kings, head coach Mark Daigneault reacted to winning 60 games. The 2024-25 Thunder matched the franchise’s record for most wins in a regular season, which Daigneault says is a testament to his team’s […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault leaned heavily on Alex Caruso’s defensive versatility in Sunday’s 103-101 win against the Los Angeles Clippers. Before All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pointed out Caruso’s impact, Daigneault explained what made that impact so critical in the Thunder’s latest win. With All-Star Jalen Williams (hip) ruled out, Caruso was added to […]

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled with his shot, going 7-for-29 from the field and 1-for-7 from beyond the arc, but the Oklahoma City Thunder still managed to edge out the surging LA Clippers 103-101 on Sunday night. Despite the tough shooting night, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault had nothing but praise for his MVP-caliber guard. “We always […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault had no complaints after Friday’s 141-106 blowout win against the Charlotte Hornets. After the Lakers’ 118-89 loss led to the Thunder clinching the No. 1 seed on Thursday, Oklahoma City’s effort against the lowly Hornets remained high throughout their 35-point victory. For only the fourth […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — After Oklahoma City Thunder center Jaylin Williams recorded his second triple-double, head coach Mark Daigneault reflected on the beginning of Williams’ career. During the 2022 second-round pick’s time with the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s G League affiliate, Daigneault, noticed Jaylin’s three-point shot almost immediately. It’s become an integral facet of his […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder saw their Wednesday night matchup against the injury-ravaged Philadelphia 76ers as a golden opportunity to rest some of their key guys, the most prominent of which was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It’s a testament to the Thunder brass’ trust in the depth that they have that they believed they could win despite missing […]

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault is coming off the most grueling stretch of the 2024-25 campaign, where he finished with an impressive 12-2 record since the All-Star break. After coming off a three-game road trip amid the NBA’s investigation into the Thunder for player participation in last week’s 107-89 win against the Portland Trail Blazers, […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault addressed his All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s free-throw shooting efficiency since the All-Star break. Amid Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP-caliber season with the Thunder, he’s earned the “free-throw merchant” moniker in 2024-25. However, for Daigneault, Shai’s frequent trips to the free-throw line are a testament to his elite offensive prowess. Still, since the […]

Two teams have remained at the very top of the NBA power rankings since the start of the 2024-25 season: the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers. These are the two best teams in the league by a wide margin, which has led many to ponder whether this will ultimately be this year’s NBA […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Detroit Pistons played a physical game, which led to an outburst from head coach J.B. Bickerstaff following their 113-107 loss. He didn’t hold back, and he let the media know that he felt the refs weren’t showing them the respect that they deserved on the floor. The Pistons were […]

After back-to-back games between the top MVP candidates, Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets’ MVP Nikola Jokic, head coach Mark Daigneault delivered his take on the race. Both teams split the mini-series, evening Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic’s highly-anticipated showdown, 1-1. Before facing the champion Boston Celtics, a reporter asked Daigneault to campaign for his top […]

After Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault revealed his “permanent sub” tactic in a 140-127 loss against the Denver Nuggets, the NBA world, including ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, has spent the past 24 hours responding to the unforeseen move. In an attempt to slow All-Star Nikola Jokic from inbounding the ball before the Thunder could […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault was fed up with NBA officials subconsciously giving Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets the upper hand. Something similar had happened against the Golden State Warriors years prior. Before losing All-Star Jalen Williams to a hip injury, Daigneault attempted to impose a tactic he was […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault says the Denver Nuggets’ defensive coverage on his All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made a tremendous difference in Monday’s 140-127 loss. After All-Star Jalen Williams had suffered a hip injury before halftime, he was ruled out for the rest of the night. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 24 […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — With three fouls, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault called upon Chet Holmgren to check back into the game with 8:16 left in the first half. While most coaches would have waited until it was closer to halftime, Daigneault reinserted his starting forward to finish the second quarter. Outside of All-Star […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault chimed in on the MVP conversation regarding top candidates Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic ahead of his back-to-back. Despite the potential MVP duel, Thunder guard Alex Caruso is thrilled for the upcoming challenge of facing the reigning Most Valuable Player in Jokic and the 2023 […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault explained why Friday’s 107-89 win against the Portland Trail Blazers was memorable. Thunder center Jaylin Williams recorded his first triple-double. Aaron Wiggins’ impressive 30-point performance led the team in scoring. However, for Daigneault, seeing his shorthanded team fight back in the face of adversity is […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault guided his team to its 50th win of 2024-25, making franchise history as the fastest team to do so in 61 regular-season games. Led by the NBA’s league-leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 51 points in a 137-128 win against the Houston Rockets, Monday’s win topped the […]

During Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams’ career scoring night against the San Antonio Spurs, game officials ejected two of his teammates, Kenrich Williams and Lu Dort, after a scuffle ensued involving the Spurs’ Julian Champagnie. All three players were ejected, which Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault reacted to during his media availability after Oklahoma […]

San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie as well as Oklahoma City Thunder players Kenrich Williams and Lu Dort were all ejected following an incident that could’ve turned into a brawl had multiple players not intervened. Both Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson and Thunder head man Mark Daigneault shared initial reactions to the altercation. “It […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault addressed an ongoing trend on the road, regarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s frequent trips to the free-throw line. The All-Star is pelted with a “Free-throw merchant” chants. In the Thunder’s 135-119 win against the Atlanta Hawks, he received the same treatment. Before a reporter asked Gilgeous-Alexander about the ‘face of […]

In a game in which the Oklahoma City Thunder grabbed their first lead in the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault discussed what led to an 18-0 run in Wednesday’s 129-121 win. During his media availability, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander credited Chet Holmgren with helping Oklahoma City chip away at the Nets’ […]

After connecting on 49.2% on 1.6 attempts from deep, it’s no coincidence Oklahoma City Thunder shooting guard Aaron Wiggins took on an increased role from head coach Mark Daigneault this season. After Sunday’s win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, where Thunder’s Daigneault implemented a small-ball approach, Wiggins was a significant part. He’s continued to gain traction […]

Even after holding a 25-point lead, Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder fell 131-128 in overtime to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite the loss, Daigneault gave props to the Timberwolves stating, “They kept playing and ran all the way through the game, and that was a great comeback by them. So they deserve to win. […]

Oklahoma City Thunder center Jaylin Williams shared a funny anecdote that he and head coach Mark Daigneault still laugh about today. Before the Thunder secured a win on Daigneault’s birthday on Sunday, Williams revealed he didn’t know who Oklahoma City’s head coach was throughout his pre-draft workout in 2022. As Williams started warming up for […]

On Sunday, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault guided his team to a 130-123 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Thunder secured the win on Daigneault’s birthday. The game was undoubtedly a game of runs before Oklahoma City kept its opponent at bay in the final frame. After the Timberwolves ended the first half on a […]

On Sunday night, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault turned 40 years old. And what better way for Daigneault to celebrate the start of his fifth decade of existence than with a huge victory for the Thunder, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 37 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, three steals, and three blocks propelling OKC to […]

With a 116-101 win, the Minnesota Timberwolves snapped head coach Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s seven-game win streak. After the Thunder’s incredible 24-0 fourth-quarter run kept their streak alive in a 115-101 victory against the Miami Heat, they succumbed to 14 points in the final frame against the Timberwolves. After the loss, Daigneault […]

Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder suffered a disappointing 116-101 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night. Daigneault made his thoughts on the loss known after the game. He liked how the team tried to fight back during certain periods but were unable to maintain it as they committed multiple errors to complete […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault watched All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander help erase a 21-point deficit with an incredible 24-0 fourth-quarter run that led to a 115-101 victory against the Miami Heat. In a game where the Thunder gave up 36 points in the paint in the first half without starting power forward Chet Holmgren […]

In only his second game back from a rare pelvic injury, Oklahoma City Thunder starting forward Chet Holmgren anchored the defense in Monday’s 137-101 win against the New Orleans Pelicans. While head coach Mark Daigneault watched his Thunder set a franchise record in threes on one end of the floor, Holmgren set the tone early […]

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault watched All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reach his third 50+ point performance in three weeks in a 140-109 win against the Phoenix Suns. As Gilgeous-Alexander continues to strengthen his case for this year’s Most Valuable Player award, Daigneault and the Thunder continue to lead the Western Conference with a 40-9 record. After […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault spoke highly about his forward Ousmane Dieng after Monday’s 125-96 win against the Milwaukee Bucks. Daigneault discussed the significance of beating a shorthanded Bucks before a reporter asked him about Dieng’s standout performance against Milwaukee. Dieng led Daigneault’s second unit with a season-high 21 points against the Bucks, […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault guided his team to a 125-96 win against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Thunder defeated the Bucks without All-Star Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso. However, Milwaukee competed without superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard in the blowout loss at the Paycom Center. After the game, Daigneault mentioned […]