Mark Daigneault Articles - Page 9

Oklahoma City Thunder center Jaylin Williams made his regular-season debut in the Thunder’s 123-105 win against the Washington Wizards. Coach Mark Daigneault and his team returned home after the Thunder’s grueling stretch in their traveling schedule. After Williams had suffered a hamstring injury in training camp, fans at the Paycom Center welcomed him back in Monday’s […]

Mark Daigneault, Jalen Williams, and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Orlando Magic 105-99 despite not the two taking a single free-throw shot attempt, as the Thunder head coach pointed out after the win. After their All-Star  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished his walk-off interview, Daigneault made strong remarks about Williams’ continuous struggles to make consistent trips […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault discussed veteran guard Lu Dort and his importance to his team’s identity. Coming off their NBA Cup finals loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, Daigneault and the Thunder will look to bounce back on the first leg of a back-to-back set in Florida. Oklahoma City will face the Magic […]

The consensus is that winning the NBA Cup can provide a critical confidence boost for a young team that is trying to establish itself as a true juggernaut. But one also cannot underestimate the value of falling just short in the NBA Cup. Although the Oklahoma City Thunder lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in Tuesday’s […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks will be facing off for the NBA Cup, and head coach Mark Daigneault seems to be ready for the matchup. After the game, Daigneault spoke about the matchup and what he expects from both. “We have a competitive group of guys… when you put anything on the line, […]

Head coach Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder have led the Western Conference standings for most of the 2024-25 campaign. After jumping out to an 8-2 start, the Thunder lost Chet Holmgren to a pelvic injury ten games into the regular season. Still, it didn’t stop Oklahoma City from going 11-3 in his absence […]

While Oklahoma City Thunder veteran Alex Caruso revealed the secret to his team’s success, head coach Mark Daigneault revealed his take on the NBA Cup’s format of relocating to Las Vegas for the semifinals against the Rockets. After the mid-season tournament’s quarter-final knockout round, the four remaining teams — two from the Eastern Conference and […]

The Houston Rockets defeated head coach Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-116 in their last meeting on Dec. 1. Fred VanVleet’s whopping 38 points is the most they’ve given up by an opposing player as Daigneault reflected on the Thunder’s fifth loss of the 2024-25 campaign. And Oklahoma City hasn’t lost a game […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault commended his team’s ongoing commitment to defense in the NBA Cup quarter-final win against the Dallas Mavericks. While reporters peppered Daigneault with questions about his team defense on Mavericks stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, he downplayed it, reminding everyone this level of defense isn’t new. Chet Holmgren’s […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder headed north of the border for Thursday night’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors, a homecoming for Thunder guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort. This past summer, they represented their country in the 2024 Olympics, where Gilgeous-Alexander, Dort, and Canada upset Spain 88-85 in group play. Before facing the Raptors, head coach […]

The NBA Cup was introduced by the league for the sole purpose of driving added interest to the league in the early goings of the season in what would otherwise be perceived as “meaningless” games. And for the Oklahoma City Thunder, they managed to book a spot in the quarterfinals of the competition after demolishing […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault saw a productive four-game road trip end with a 119-116 loss against the Houston Rockets Sunday night. Despite losing the nail-biting finish, Daigneault believes his Thunder are a better team than they were over a week ago. He noted his team’s stifling defense and relentless offensive approach as […]

The Houston Rockets snapped Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s four-game win streak with a 119-116 victory Sunday night. The victory ended the Thunder’s four-game road trip with a 3-1 record. Players from both teams had to be separated after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dillon Brooks’ jump ball in the final minute of the Rockets’ […]

Amid the Oklahoma City Thunder’s four-day break, head coach Mark Daigneault observed a back-to-back from the Oklahoma City Blue, the team’s G League affiliate, which featured Dillon Jones in its latest contest. The Blue improved to 5-1, winning a pair of games against the Texas Legends and Rio Grande Valley Vipers, where Jones notched his […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault knows Jalen Williams’ impact in the absence of three centers didn’t go unnoticed. Still, there’s a level of excitement that still lingers from center Isaiah Hartenstein making his Thunder debut. His 13 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks helped Oklahoma City secure a 109-99 win against […]

Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder enjoyed a day off before returning to practice on Friday. After center Isaiah Hartenstein and the Thunder beat the Portland Trail Blazers, Daigneault, with an additional three days’ rest on tap, had plenty of time to reflect on the first 16 games of the 2024-25 season. In doing […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault was pleased to see his team snap a two-game skid on the second night of a back-to-back. After a 13-point, 14-rebound double-double and dominant defensive performance, center Isaiah Hartenstein earned his Thunder Bark initiation during his walk-off interview and praise from Diagneault following a memorable debut in Oklahoma […]

Before Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams played the blame game following Tuesday’s loss, head coach Mark Daigneault credited Keldon Johnson and the San Antonio Spurs. Without their star, Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs outscored the Thunder 33-9, including a 16-0 run from the end of the second quarter into the second half, punctuated by Johnson’s […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault knows life without Chet Holmgren‘s been challenging for his team, but up until Sunday’s loss against the Dallas Mavericks, it hadn’t gotten in the way of winning. Holmgren fractured a pelvic bone in the first quarter of a 127-116 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Since then, Daigneault’s […]

After the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Phoenix Suns 99-83 in their first NBA Cup matchup on Friday, head coach Mark Daigneault expressed his continuous frustration with his team not earning enough trips to the free-throw line. And he had the stats to back it up, including the free-throw shooting disparity in the Thunder’s first […]

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has come a long way from the promising young guard who was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers for veteran superstar Paul George. After beating the New Orleans Pelicans 106-88 on Wednesday, where Jalen Williams shined amid a 31-point performance, head coach Mark Daigneault talked about Gilgeous-Alexander’s growth as […]

Jalen Williams’ season-high 31 points led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 106-88 blowout win against the New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night. The Chet Holmgren-less Thunder captured their tenth win of the regular season. However, Williams’ scoring was one of many ways he impacted winning, as head coach Mark Daigneault reminded reporters of Jalen’s productivity. […]

No Chet Holmgren, no problem for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 134-128 on Monday, improving to 9-2. The Thunder won thanks to a big night from superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whose career-high 45 points pushed the team to victory. Moreover, their small-ball lineup had their hands full with Ivica Zubac […]

During the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors game, Draymond Green and Lu Dort got tangled up during a play. Green ended up swiping his arm around Dort’s head, and head coach Mark Daigneault used his coach’s challenge after Dort was called for the foul. Draymond Green received a technical foul on this play […]

Head coach Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Houston Rockets 126-107 in their eighth regular-season win. The star pair of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren scored 29 points apiece, combining for 58, and Jalen Williams contributed 14 points in another double-digit Thunder victory of an unheralded start. The Rockets kept the game […]

The Denver Nuggets handed head coach Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder their first loss of 2024-25. The Nuggets defeated the Thunder 124-122, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed a tightly contested layup that would have sent the game into overtime as the clock expired. After scoring a season-high 29 points, veteran point guard Russell Westbrook […]

It is way too early to come to conclusions about anything just two weeks into the 2024-25 season. At the same time, it is a forgone conclusion that the Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the better teams in the league who could ultimately win the Western Conference. After a historic 57-25 season in which […]

The Portland Trail Blazers erased a 17-point deficit to pull even at halftime against head coach Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder. A phenomenal 44-point second quarter pulled the game close, keeping the Trail Blazers in it before the Thunder intensified their league-leading defense. They stopped Portland in its tracks amid a 38-17 third […]

Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren took responsibility for the team’s elite defense this season. Still, even he would undoubtedly agree that head coach Mark Daigneault deserves all the credit for the stifling defense. In their 105-93 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, the Thunder not only limited 2024 Rookie of the Year Victor […]

After announcing the news surrounding Isaiah Hartenstein’s hand injury on Thursday, the Oklahoma City Thunder were dealt another injury to their frontcourt in Friday’s preseason finale against the Atlanta Hawks. Jalen Williams suffered a left ankle sprain in the second quarter. Head coach Mark Daigneault addressed Williams’ injury after the Thunder’s 104-99 win. “Left ankle […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault was just discovering the benefits of Isaiah Hartenstein. The statistical advantages of adding a defensive rebounding center of Hartenstein’s caliber are staggering on paper. However, seeing in real-time while experimenting and tweaking lineups is when the luxury of training camp and exhibition games comes into play this season. […]

After losing 122-113 in overtime to the Houston Rockets, Dillon Jones and the Oklahoma City Thunder improved to 2-1 in preseason play after beating the New Zealand Breakers 117-89 on the second night of a back-to-back. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault gave his starters and the rest of his rotational players the night off, showcasing […]

There’s no question that the Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the most exciting teams to watch in the NBA today. With a young core composed of Josh Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Chet Holmgren, the Thunder have a bright future ahead of them, all the more so with Mark Daigneault coaching the team. Daigneault’s fourth […]

Head coach Mark Daigneault didn’t hold back in assessing rookies Dillon Jones and Ajay Mitchell’s respective performances in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 112-107 victory of their preseason opener against the San Antonio Spurs. Mitchell scored a team-high 19 points in the win, and Mitchell was close behind with 17 on an efficient 8-for-11 attempts, but […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault wants to elevate his team’s three-point shooting volume this upcoming season. After Daigneault encouraged Aaron Wiggins and Jalen Williams to shoot more threes in 2024-25, he’s extending that approach to his new frontcourt free-agent signee Isaiah Hartenstein. The veteran center told reporters his new head coach wants to […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s 38.9% three-point shooting percentage led the NBA in 2023-24, inching out the champion Boston Celtics (38.8%) by a hair. Shooting is vital in this league. Just ask Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, who is equipped with an eight-man rotation of shooters, and half of them connected at a 39% clip or […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder are gearing up for an exciting 2024-25 campaign. With the odds of making a deep playoff push in their favor, head coach Mark Daigneault shared first impressions of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso, two veterans taking on critical roles on the Thunder’s defensive end, which is projected to be elite this […]

While Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault awaits for first-round pick Nikola Topic to recover from a partially torn ACL, he got his first glimpse at Oklahoma City’s 26th overall pick, Dillon Jones, on the opening day of training camp. Many believe the Thunder drafted Josh Giddy’s replacement in Topic at No. 12, calling […]

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault isn’t changing his routine approach to the upcoming regular season despite its high anticipation as expectations for the league’s reigning Coach of the Year, and his team is as high as ever for the fifth-year head coach. The Thunder upgraded its roster tremendously by trading Josh Giddy to […]