The Oklahoma City Thunder fell 122-120 to the Miami Heat on Saturday at Kaseya Center despite controlling much of the game.
Head coach Mark Daigneault credited Miami for their efficiency and rebounding. “Some of it was their ability to take care of the ball, which is a credit to them…they did a great job on the glass with the offensive rebounding,” he said.
Daigneault acknowledged Bam Adebayo’s standout performance. “Credit tip your hat to him. Those were tough shots, and he did a great job knocking those home. They played really well all the way around,” he noted.
He emphasized the challenge of Miami’s unconventional lineups due to absences. “Some of it’s just you’ve got to be nimble and adjust on the fly…having to do that in the regular season is not the worst thing for you,” Daigneault said.
The coach also highlighted bench contributions from his team. “Aaron and AJ had great games tonight…Joe gave great minutes. One of the things about our team is our depth and we’re going to lean on it,” he said.
Daigneault reflected on the final possession. “Not a lot of time there. Shay did a good job of getting off it…Chet was probably open under the basket, but you don’t have the time to throw it to them,” he explained.
He stressed Miami’s balanced approach in generating possessions. “They were crashing. Their effort level was great throughout the game. It gave them obviously a ton of possessions and a lot of margin,” Daigneault said.
Jalen Williams left the game in the second quarter with right thigh soreness. “We’ll see in the morning. Tonight we’ll check him out and see how he is,” Daigneault said.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 39 points, while Aaron Wiggins added 18, Ajay Mitchell 15, and Chet Holmgren 14. Miami’s Andrew Wiggins made a go-ahead three-pointer with 31 seconds left, securing the victory.
Daigneault acknowledged the learning opportunities in facing a deep, adaptable opponent. “It’s useful for us to be able to pivot in games…you can’t always prepare and rely on the scouting report,” he said.
The Thunder fell to 35-8 but will look to rebound on Monday when they visit Cleveland. The Heat, now 21-20, travel to Golden State for a matchup against the Warriors.
