Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault highlighted his team’s discipline and execution following their 126-102 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night.
“I thought our alertness on Curry as a team was excellent. Cason in particular on Curry was outstanding,” Daigneault said during the postgame press conference.
Daigneault praised Chet Holmgren for his perfect 23-point, 11-rebound night. “He’s really honed his system skills even at a position that he didn’t play early in his career. That’s how you end up with nights like tonight for him,” he noted.
The coach emphasized the team’s defensive focus as a key factor in limiting Golden State’s offense. “Generally, it was a great night of focus and execution. We had a few breakdowns, but the whole team was really keyed in,” Daigneault said.
Oklahoma City’s communication and understanding of the Warriors’ style impressed the coach. “They play in a very different style, but we’ve seen them a number of times. Our core players have learned the keys, and we did a great job executing it tonight,” he explained.
Daigneault highlighted the Thunder’s mental toughness during the third quarter, when the team extended its lead to 44 points. “It takes mental toughness to just stack the next possessions and stay focused on the game plan,” he said.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance also drew praise. “He’s a great player with a real appetite to improve. He’s not resting on what he’s accomplished and continues to get better defensively and offensively,” Daigneault said.
The Thunder’s frontcourt showed significant growth as well. “They play together, have great chemistry, and continue to get better. The cumulative effect of their improvement is obvious,” Daigneault noted, referring to Holmgren, Hartenstein, and Isaiah Joe.
Daigneault also highlighted Ajay Mitchell’s defensive contributions against Golden State. “He’s taking on very tough covers tonight. He’s guarding Kuminga to start the game and hasn’t flinched at anything,” he said.
The Thunder dominated offensively and defensively at Paycom Center, shooting 50.6% from the field and hitting 44.4% of three-pointers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 28 points and 11 assists in three quarters, while Holmgren was perfect from the field.
Oklahoma City improved to 11-1, maintaining the league’s top record, while Golden State fell to 6-6. The Thunder host the Los Angeles Lakers next, and the Warriors travel to face the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
