Subscribe
Follow Us
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 Mark Daigneault spoke about how well-received the two are whenever Oklahoma City plays in Toronto.
Daigneault admits it's fun whenever the Thunder face the Raptors on the road.
“It's great playing here. I love playing here. It's a great fanbase,” Daigneault said. “From day one, [they've] shown great support to Shai and Lu, which I always really respected.”
And according to Daigneault, Toronto's love for Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort is always mutual.
“They love being back here. They love playing here. Like I said, they're really well-received here,” Daigneault added. “The fans are really, really gracious with both of those players. So, I know they love playing in front of friends and family. They have a lot of people coming to the game tonight. They always play pretty well here.
“So, it's exciting for them. Anytime our guys come back towards their hometown or home country, it's always a special experience, and tonight is no different,” he concluded.
Lu Dort on representing Canada at the 2024 Olympics
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault watched veteran Lu Dort proudly represented Canada men's national basketball team at the 2024 Olympics. While it wasn't the result they hoped for in not medaling in the popular summer Olympic event, Dort enjoyed competing against the best basketball players worldwide.
And, if given another opportunity, he'd do it again in 2028.
“It was great. It was really fun,” Dort said. “I'm always proud to wear my country on my chest, and it was a great experience. We made history. It's been a long time since Canada basketball made it to that. So, I'd be happy to do it again.”
Did competing in the global event make Dort a better player?
“Of course. I mean, it's a different type of basketball, playing against the top players from all around the world. It was amazing,” Dort said. “It was a different experience and it definitely made me better.”
The Thunder, winners of five of their last six games, will look to improve to 17-5 in Thursday's matchup against the Raptors. They remain atop the Western Conference, with the Rockets trailing the Thunder by 1.5 games in second place.
