With the Oklahoma City Thunder one win away from their first NBA championship, head coach Mark Daigneault maintained a steady tone ahead of Game 6 in Indianapolis.
“We’re not introducing any new concepts right now—we’re just leaning on the psychological habits we’ve tried to build over a long period of time,” Daigneault said Wednesday, a day before his team faces the Indiana Pacers with a 3-2 lead in the NBA Finals.
Oklahoma City secured Game 5 behind a 40-point performance from Jalen Williams and 31 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But Daigneault emphasized the focus remains narrow.
“We want to win the game tomorrow, but the most important thing we need to do to win the game tomorrow is prepare—prepare today and prepare tomorrow—and then play the first possession really well,” he said. “Then the next possession, and the next.”
The Thunder have struggled with ball movement on the road, averaging just 13 assists per game in Indiana during the series. Daigneault acknowledged the issue, crediting the Pacers’ defensive energy at home.
“They play with a lot of energy, they really pressure, they’re up the floor, and we can expect them to bring that tomorrow,” he said. “We have to play with the requisite force in order to counter that.”
Tyrese Haliburton’s status remains uncertain after he was limited to four points in Game 5. Still, Daigneault insisted Oklahoma City won’t prepare any differently.
“You don’t underestimate great players,” he said. “So in either case—whether he plays or not—we’re expecting Indiana’s best punch.”
Cason Wallace, who bounced back in Game 5 after early struggles in the series, earned specific praise. Daigneault highlighted the rookie’s resilience after being moved out of the starting lineup.
“He just comes out with great confidence in Game 5 and steps into those shots and makes big plays,” he said. “He was also incredibly impactful defensively.”
The coach also touched on the broader development arc of the team, pointing to the 2022 draft where the franchise added both Williams and Chet Holmgren.
“We start the process of developing those guys and see where it goes,” Daigneault said. “Obviously, it’s gone great with those two guys.”
As for the Thunder’s defensive identity, Daigneault traced its foundation back to the early stages of the team’s rebuild.
“Hopefully most of the big rocks are things that are very familiar even back then,” he said. “There’s no day you become a good team… we’ve tried to stay very consistent and it’s served us well.”
Oklahoma City will try to close out the Finals on Thursday night in Indiana. Teams that lead 3-2 in a tied Finals series have gone on to win the championship 82% of the time.
