Subscribe
Follow Us
Jalen Williams and the Oklahoma City Thunder advanced to the knockout round of the NBA Cup. After beating the Utah Jazz 133-106 and finishing 3-1 in group play, the Phoenix Suns beat the San Antonio Spurs 104-93, which helped the Thunder. Head coach Mark Daingeault delivered his blunt take on point differential, but Oklahoma City (+45) did its part. After the win, Williams said he and his teammates had extra motivation heading into Tuesday's game.
During his postgame interview, Williams revealed that the team is doing its best to win the NBA Cup for his Thunder teammate Jaylin Williams based on its $514,971 payout.
“J-Will has been adamant about winning the money,” Williams said. “So, we're doing it for J-Will.”
Jaylin has yet to make his regular-season debut due to a strained hamstring he suffered in late October, but he was keeping a close eye on Tuesday night's ramifications.
“J-Will has been adamant about winning the money,” Jalen added. “So, we're doing it for J-Will.”
Either way, Jalen's focus is winning games. When a reporter asked Williams if he tuned into the Suns and Spurs matchup, he responded honestly.
“Kind of,” Williams said. “I just saw the score inadvertently. I think the easiest thing with the cup is to try to win your games, and everything else will pan out. So, that's what we're trying to do.”
Is anybody in the Thunder locker room keeping up with the NBA Cup's implications?
“Yeah, J-Will,” Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who joined Williams at the podium's postgame interview, replied, to which Jalen Williams said to a room full of reporters:
“Was I lying?”
In terms of the two scenarios on Tuesday, which, aside from the Suns' win, also included the Grizzlies beating the Dallas Mavericks. A win from the Suns or Grizzlies would equate to the Thunder advancing to the second round. Still, Gilgeous-Alexander suggests, Jaylin probably wasn't keeping track until Tuesday.
“J-Will is less into the scenarios and more into the money.”
Mark Daigneault shares blunt take on NBA Cup point differential
Head coach Mark Daigneault preached about his Thunder's mental toughness before facing the Jazz Tuesday night. He also had an honest take on prioritizing his players' health and the team's long-term goals for the 2024-25 campaign. Instead of keeping his starters in the fourth quarter of a 20-point lead, Daigneault went deep into his bench.
After the win, Daigneault addressed his decision, per Daily Thunder's Brandon Rahbar.
“Zero [temptation to run up the score]. Number one because of player health,” Daigneault said. “I don’t love the design because it incentivizes that.”
The first-placed Thunder will face the wildcard Mavericks in the NBA Cup quarterfinal on Dec. 10 or Dec. 11.
