Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault addressed the team’s 108-91 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.
Daigneault credited Indiana’s strong performance, saying, “They outplayed us for most of the 48 minutes.” He added that the defeat was “uncharacteristic” and “disappointing,” but emphasized it was a collective failure, not the fault of any single player.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled with eight turnovers, a point Daigneault highlighted as unusual for the team. “Turnovers in the first half… led to fast break points,” he explained. The turnovers helped ignite Indiana’s dominant second and third quarters.
The Thunder managed just 60 points through three quarters, their lowest in any game this season. Daigneault acknowledged, “It was a very poor performance by us,” while recognizing Indiana’s defensive efforts. He said, “They had a lot to do with it,” but also said the Thunder must “own that” and improve for Game 7.
Despite outshooting the Pacers in the first half, Oklahoma City fell behind by 22 points. Daigneault attributed this to a lack of offensive rhythm and will, stating, “We were really stagnant.”
When asked about his timeout strategy during Indiana’s extended run, Daigneault described timeout management as “an art” and noted the team used five by the middle of the third quarter. “We have to have the ability to play through some things,” he said.
The Thunder’s three-point shooting was a major concern, with the team going 1-for-11 in the first half and no corner threes. Daigneault remarked that Indiana’s defense played a key role in limiting opportunities and forcing poor shooting.
Looking ahead to Game 7, Daigneault stressed the importance of learning from the loss. “We’ll regroup, get back to zero, learn from it with clear eyes,” he said. He also acknowledged the difficulty of clinching a championship, especially for a young team. “It was hard tonight. Indiana was great, and we were not,” he said.
The series now shifts to Oklahoma City for a decisive Game 7 on Sunday night. Daigneault called playing in the Finals a “privilege” and encouraged his team to execute better on both ends.
