Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault praised his team’s resilience after a 124-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on Tuesday. Daigneault emphasized the importance of stabilizing the game in the final minutes.
“We had to do it against Portland on Sunday, too,” Daigneault said. “There’s still time left in the game to course correct, and I thought the group to start the fourth quarter did a nice job of stabilizing the game.”
Daigneault highlighted his team’s offensive execution late in the game. “Our attacks down the stretch were really good. We had a great sense of purpose and calibrated well against their defensive adjustments,” he said.
Chet Holmgren’s performance drew particular attention, with Daigneault noting the importance of using his height advantage. “Teams will try to downsize against us, but we found him in key moments—he had dunks and made plays for others. It’s a tool we’ll continue to develop,” the coach added.
When asked why Holmgren wasn’t featured even more, Daigneault pointed to the team’s fluid offensive approach. “We’re not a button-pushing team. It’s about finding the best shot in the flow, and overall we played pretty connected tonight,” he said.
The Thunder’s late-game execution reflected the team’s focus on offensive spacing and paint touches. Daigneault emphasized that every paint touch in the final six minutes produced positive results. “That should be a good lesson for us,” he said.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 38 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with 3:34 remaining, while Holmgren added 21 points and eight rebounds. Jalen Williams contributed 22 points and six assists, helping the Thunder maintain their 21-1 record.
The win extended Oklahoma City’s strong start to the season, with the team now preparing to host Dallas on Friday. Daigneault stressed the importance of continuing to develop offensive strategies around Holmgren and other role players as the season progresses.
