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13 hours ago
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How Mark Daigneault planted ‘seeds' to Thunder's NBA Finals growth
The post How Mark Daigneault planted 'seeds' to Thunder's NBA Finals growth appeared first on ClutchPoints. OKLAHOMA CITY — In a regular season where the Oklahoma City Thunder finished with a 24-58 record, head coach Mark Daigneault saw glimmers of hope. All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and All-Defensive guard Lu Dort are the only remaining starters from the 2021-22 squad, and Kenrich Williams and Aaron Wiggins, a rookie at the time, still come off the bench for Daigneault. Still, so much has changed as the Thunder are the favorites entering the NBA Finals. Advertisement After winning 22 and 24 games in back-to-back seasons, the Thunder finished with 40 wins in 2022-23, then finished with the best record in the Western Conference with a 57-25 mark last season, to a franchise-record 68 wins this year. During NBA Finals Media Day, Daigneault reflected on those early years that set the stage for his first NBA Finals appearance. 'There were very early flickers even in those early years. Those were challenging years at different times. Certainly, they looked like challenging years on paper,' Daigneault said. 'How it felt every day wasn't a reflection of our record or our standing in the league; you could feel that something was starting to simmer. You could feel that some of the seeds we were planting were going to be flowering at some point. There were very early indications of that, even in those seasons. 'So, we were confident even back then. Not necessarily that we'd be in the Finals right now. You never know the timing of when things come together. But we were confident that we were building something special and something that had the ability to sustain,' Daigneault concluded. For Daigneault and the Thunder, the early habits translated into wins, which built confidence both individually and as a team. Advertisement 'Then, as time went on, there were just more and more experiences that gave us more confidence in that, but that belief existed at the earliest point in time,' Daigneault added. 'A lot of that had to do with the way the guys were approaching every day, independent of the outcome of the games.' Now, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault is in the NBA Finals. Chet Holmgren's 17 winners Thunder take before NBA Finals Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Thunder forward Chet Holmgren says his team's confidence resonates throughout all of his teammates. It's what's led to a successful season, where the Thunder are four wins away from an NBA title. Advertisement 'The biggest thing is playing for each other. It's the type of guys that we have here,' Holmgren said. 'Everybody's going to tell you that they're a winner, and everybody is a winner until it's inconvenient for them. I feel like we have a team with 17 winners that are going to put winning at the top.' The Thunder will host the Pacers in Game 1. Related: Why Pacers' Aaron Nesmith is ready for SGA after Jalen Brunson battle Related: Thunder's Chet Holmgren makes '17 winners' declaration ahead of NBA Finals
Yahoo
3 days ago
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- Yahoo
Thunder vs Pacers grades: How Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort turned NBA Finals Game 4 to OKC
If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change. INDIANAPOLIS — The difference in trailing 3-1 in the NBA Finals versus coming back home tied 2-2 is enormous. But the margin separating those two outcomes can be razor thin. The Thunder proved as much Friday night in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, storming back to beat the Pacers 111-104 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Advertisement Let's get to the grades. REQUIRED READING: How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder didn't flinch in legacy-defining Game 4 of NBA Finals Pre-order our new book on the Thunder's road to NBA Finals Lineup change: D Thunder coach Mark Daigneault went back to the two-big starting lineup that he used for much of the season, with Isaiah Hartenstein taking back the starting spot from Cason Wallace. It didn't go great. Over the first five-plus minutes of the game, the two-big lineup gave up 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting as the Pacers scored on six of their first eight possessions. That included five points from Pascal Siakam and four from Myles Turner, the opposing bigs Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein were guarding. Advertisement Hartenstein, who was good off the bench in the first two games of the series, struggled in Indiana. Four points in Game 3. Two in Game 4. —Jenni Carlson, columnist CARLSON: Alex Caruso goes from cult hero to superhero as Thunder scores biggest win ever INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JUNE 13: Head coach Mark Daigneault and Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the Oklahoma City Thunder cpeak during the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game Four of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 13, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. First-quarter survival: B+ Gainbridge Fieldhouse registered on the Richter scale when Andrew Nembhard cashed a corner 3-pointer to give the Pacers a 20-12 lead. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault called a timeout to calm his team amid the tremors. The Thunder trailed by as many as nine in the first quarter, but it quickly drew even with a 9-0 run. Lu Dort tied the game 24-24 with a 3-pointer that had the hangtime of a Pat McAfee punt. Advertisement The Pacers led 35-34 after the first quarter. That was a win for the Thunder considering the surge it had to withstand to only trail by a point. — Joe Mussatto, columnist MUSSATTO: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 'unreal' down stretch to save Thunder, tie up NBA Finals Lu Dort: A+ Perfection is impossible when you're a lockdown defender assigned to the opponent's best players; those guys are always going to score on you. But Dort gets an A+ because of what he did in the fourth quarter. He checked in with 9:36 left in the final frame and the Pacers up three. Dort played the rest of the game, and the Thunder outscored the Pacers 25-15. Advertisement 'I thought Lu in particular set an unbelievable tone defensively in the fourth quarter,' Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. 'That was kind of contagious. But his energy, he was just on it and was very impressive. Got great performances from a lot of guys, but I thought he really kind of swung the game with his approach when he went back in the game.' Dort fought over and through and around screens repeatedly. He didn't always stay with Tyrese Haliburton, his primary assignment; sometimes the Thunder had to switch defenders. Dort didn't keep Haliburton from scoring either; he had eight points during the time Dort was in the game in the fourth. But over the final three-plus minutes of the game, Haliburton didn't score. —Jenni Carlson, columnist More: Pacers fans lament 'Scott Foster, The Extender' for NBA Finals Game 4 loss vs Thunder Jun 13, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) shoots the ball against Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during the first half during game four of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Chet Holmgren's fourth-quarter defense: A After the Thunder took its first lead of the fourth quarter with just over two minutes left, the Pacers had opportunities to answer Oklahoma City's surge when some of their guards got switched off screens to Chet Holmgren. Advertisement The Thunder big man is great at the rim, but guarding smaller guards on the perimeter? Well, he might not make a career out of it, but Friday, he was masterful. First, he hung with Tyrese Haliburton and forced him into a 3 that missed. The very next possession, Holmgren found himself on Andrew Nembhard and challenged him on a missed jumper. Then on the next trip down the floor, Holmgren again switched onto Haliburton, who he forced to pass instead of finding a shot. Holmgren's fourth-quarter plus-minus: plus-16. Impressive stuff for anyone, but even more so for a 7-footer. —Jenni Carlson, columnist Advertisement More: How dominant was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in fourth? Inside stats of Thunder's Game 4 win Kenrich Williams: B Kenrich Williams played a combined 10 minutes and 20 seconds in the first three games of the Finals. Then he played 11 minutes and 17 seconds in the Thunder's critical Game 4 win. The Thunder outscored the Pacers by seven points when Williams was on the floor. He had four points, three rebounds and one of the Thunder's 10 assists. Daigneault did all sorts of rotational tinkering Friday night, even aside from the big change in the starting lineup. SGA, for example, almost always plays the entire first quarter. But he didn't Friday night. Advertisement — Joe Mussatto, columnist More: Charles Barkley on Thunder's NBA Finals Game 4 win: 'I think this series is a wrap' Ball movement: D The Pacers assisted on 21 of their 34 baskets. The Thunder, by contrast, had only 10 assists on 37 makes. OKC's offense has looked downright stodgy against Indiana. Credit Rick Carlisle and his staff, which continues to do more with less. The Thunder's volume of passes has been way down this series. Through three games, Indiana averaged 329 passes per game to OKC's 223. We don't have the Game 4 data yet, but the gulf in ball movement felt just as wide. — Joe Mussatto, columnist Advertisement More: NBA Finals Game 4 box score, stats: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder tie series vs Pacers 3-point shooting: F Related to the poor ball movement, the Thunder had a hard time converting what few 3-point looks it could find. OKC shot 3 of 17(!) from 3-point range. Teams aren't supposed to win with that kind of math. The Thunder made one 3-pointer in each of the first, third and fourth quarters. It went 0 of 6 in the second quarter. The Thunder became the first team to make three or fewer 3-pointers in an NBA Finals win since the 2010 Celtics. — Joe Mussatto, columnist 5 TAKEAWAYS: Thunder wills its way to Game 4 win vs Pacers, evens NBA Finals Jun 13, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) drives to the basket against Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) during the first half during game four of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Jalen Williams' aggression: A A fourth-quarter comeback wouldn't have been possible without a first-quarter attack by Jalen Williams. Advertisement The Thunder wing was aggressive from the jump Friday, scoring 12 points in the first frame and getting to the free-throw line six times. He kept going to the basket and getting to his spots even as the rest of the Oklahoma City offense seemed stuck in neutral. Without him, who knows what kind of lead the Pacers might have built. Williams didn't let up either. He finished the game with 27 points, hitting 8 of 18 shots and going a perfect 11 of 11 at the free-throw line. He didn't make any shots from behind the arc, missing all three that he attempted, and he turned the ball over four times. But again, none of that threw him off track. He never seemed out of control or frustrated in a must-win game. —Jenni Carlson, columnist This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Thunder-Pacers grades: Lu Dort, Chet Holmgren turn NBA Finals Game 4
Yahoo
3 days ago
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- Yahoo
Thunder beat short-handed Pacers to win NBA title
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander walked off the court for the final time this season, collapsed into the arms of coach Mark Daigneault and finally smiled. It was over. The climb is complete. The rebuild is done. The Oklahoma City Thunder are champions. Advertisement The best team all season was the best team at the end, bringing the NBA title to Oklahoma City for the first time. Gilgeous-Alexander finished off his MVP season with 29 points and 12 assists, and the Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers — who lost Tyrese Haliburton to a serious leg injury in the opening minutes — 103-91 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night. 'It doesn't feel real,' said Gilgeous-Alexander, the Finals MVP. 'So many hours. So many moments. So many emotions. So many nights of disbelief. So many nights of belief. It's crazy to know that we're all here, but this group worked for it. This group put in the hours and we deserve this.' Jalen Williams scored 20 points and Chet Holmgren had 18 for the Thunder, who finished off a season for the ages. Oklahoma City won 84 games between the regular season and the playoffs, tying the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls for third most in any season. Only Golden State (88 in 2016-17) and the Bulls (87 in 2015-16) won more. Advertisement It's the second championship for the franchise. The Seattle SuperSonics won the NBA title in 1979; the team was moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. There's nothing in the rafters in Oklahoma City to commemorate that title. In October, a championship banner is finally coming. A Thunder banner. The Pacers led 48-47 at the half even after losing Haliburton to what his father said was an Achilles tendon injury about seven minutes into the game. But they were outscored 34-20 in the third quarter as the Thunder built a 13-point lead and began to run away. Bennedict Mathurin had 24 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana, which still is waiting for its first NBA title. The Pacers — who were 10-15 after 25 games and were bidding to be the first team in NBA history to turn that bad of a start into a championship — had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the series, but they simply didn't have enough in the end. Advertisement Home teams improved to 16-4 in NBA Finals Game 7s. And the Thunder became the seventh champion in the last seven seasons, a run of parity like none other in NBA history. Pacers forward Pascal Siakam was part of the Toronto team that won in 2019, Thunder guard Alex Caruso was part of the Los Angeles Lakers team that won in the pandemic 'bubble' in 2020, Milwaukee won in 2021, Golden State in 2022, Pacers forward Thomas Bryant and Denver prevailed in 2023, and Boston won last year's title. And now, the Thunder get their turn. The youngest team to win a title in nearly a half-century has reached the NBA mountaintop. The Thunder are the ninth franchise to win a title in NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's 12 seasons. His predecessor, David Stern, saw eight franchises win titles in his 30 seasons as commissioner. Advertisement 'They behave like champions. They compete like champions,' Daigneault said. 'They root for each other's success, which is rare in professional sports. I've said it many times and now I'm going to say it one more time. They are an uncommon team and now they're champions.' More Celtics content Read the original article on MassLive.
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4 days ago
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Thunder on brink of NBA title it dared not mention all year: 'Winning is all that matters'
If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change. LIVE UPDATES: Follow The Oklahoman's live coverage of Thunder vs. Pacers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. INDIANAPOLIS — Curse words are tantalizing to the adolescent ear. Only one seemed off-limits inside the youthful walls of the Thunder's facilities this season. Advertisement Championship, and the frequent use of all of its synonyms — title, ring, Larry O.B. — almost seemed taboo, prompting cupped hands over shrinking ears. La, La, La, La. Those words wouldn't be very zero-and-zero of Oklahoma City, grounded in its daily work and incremental improvements. Working toward tomorrow, not June. Only now, tomorrow is Game 6, a chance to reel in the franchise's first title Thursday night in the biggest game of its 17 years. Who would this team be if not true to its gospel? 'We want to win the game tomorrow,' began coach Mark Daigneault on Wednesday, 'but the most important thing we need to do to win the game tomorrow is prepare today and prepare tomorrow and play the first possession really well, then the next possession, then the next possession. 'That's how we try to approach a game. How we try to approach the playoff series. How we try to approach every single day and let that win the day. If you do that, you can put your head on the pillow that night and know you gave it everything you have.' Advertisement Pre-order book on Thunder's run to NBA Finals MUSSATTO: How an NBA title would solidify legacies of Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) signals to his teammates in the fourth quarter during Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Pacers at Paycom Center on June 16. OKC is one win away from its first NBA title. To enter the year assuming the shape of this Thunder squad, a No. 1 seed in the West last season without Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein, was off the table for general manager Sam Presti. It's a possibility, he distinctly underscored, that Oklahoma City could look like a contender. Not a probability. 'There's so many different possibilities to how a season can go, and we have to accept that those possibilities could go into what you're talking about, a contending level team,' Presti said in September. 'That doesn't have to go that way. Advertisement 'There's probably more ways that it could go the opposite. If we take our eye off the ball — I don't want to start referring to ourselves or thinking of ourselves like that, but we're certainly capable of doing that.' Oklahoma City didn't enter this season breathing NBA Finals air, not perverted or shaped by years of playoff agony like Boston. The lack of postseason losses never saw the Thunder reach a point where its core was threatened to be separated like Denver. This culture it built, laser focused on the micro, allowed it to live in a unique space. So clearly aiming to be a team capable of things as lofty as a title, aware of its subjection to championship expectations, and yet not subjected to daily internal pressure about reaching this very moment. Even when its offseason acquisitions paired with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's blooming MVP campaign made the team feel like a juggernaut, among the most successful regular season teams in NBA history. Even when it became clear that Chet Holmgren could return to capable form, and that a lack of centers couldn't suppress this group. Even when it won 68 games. Advertisement There were gestures, like Caruso showing-and-telling with his 2020 ring, a cut and fitted reminder of what the team was chasing. He was perhaps the one with the filthiest potty mouth, spewing phrases like 'to win it all,' and 'to be the best team in the world.' He kisses his title ring with that mouth. More: Tyrese Haliburton injury update: Pacers PG likely game-time decision for NBA Finals Game 6 There were hints, like media-posed questions outlining the team's championship qualities. Like the internet graphics that aligned Gilgeous-Alexander with past great guards, and the tweets that made it clear the historical company the Thunder was joining every few games or so. This chronically online team ingested all of that. The Thunder, at its best, was better than the field. Perhaps even tiers better. It always understood, it just hardly verbalized it in order to get here. Advertisement 'We understood the opportunity we had from the beginning of the year,' Caruso said. 'We understood how much time we had. We understood we needed to get better, but we had a chance.' Caruso later added: 'Maybe we fast tracked it. Maybe everybody didn't expect us to get to this point first year (together). But that's what hard work and competitive spirit does.' Just over a day before the Thunder's shot at a title tips off, Gilgeous-Alexander flowed between his shooting spots on the Gainbridge floor. He trotted across the court, snapping his wrists as Sade's soothing vocals narrated his movement. Jalen Williams flashed his smile in a quarter zip seemingly one size too small, whispering jokes into assistant Eric Maynor's ear. Daigneault funneled all reflective questions into platitudes about his focus on Game 6. Thursday's game isn't like any other, Hartenstein admitted. But it's late June, and the scenes from OKC practice looked like mid-February. Advertisement Gilgeous-Alexander has yet to feel truly triumphant. 'The cusp of winning is not winning,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'The way I see it, winning is all that matters. It hasn't been fulfilled.' More: Why OKC Thunder's supporting cast will do 'whatever it takes to win' in NBA Finals Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams (8) celebrates a 3-point basket in the second half of Game 5 of the NBA basketball finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Monday, June, 16, 2025. He's is trying not to daydream this week, a day and some midrange jumpers away from completing one of the most decorated individual seasons in recent memory. If he ever does — his bite securing a cigar, his hand clutching the Bill Russell trophy — the bubble above his head pops. 'Ultimately I'm just trying to stay in the moment,' SGA said. 'I think that's what's gotten me here. That's what has helped me achieve the MVP award, achieve all the things I've achieved. It's helped this team win basketball games. Trying to stick to that script and focusing on winning basketball games. Advertisement 'This is me personally, (but) trying to picture what it's going to look like or feel like, for me it's kind of pointless. Honestly, I try to make it an emphasis not to do so.' On Thursday, Gilgeous-Alexander's Thunder will share a roof with Larry O'Brien. Goggles will be assembled with OCD precision. Champagne will await in boxes. The franchise's compounding sentiments leading to this moment — months of talk about stacking days and hours, practices and film sessions — should feel overwhelming. Like a sumo wrestler sitting on their chest. Maybe it is. But this moment feels most appropriate for the Thunder's ability to reset. From the outside, its propensity to refer to Game 6, to choose to remain here and not in champagne showers, paints a team ready to finally stack a ring. It just won't look up to realize it unless the confetti falls. Don't worry about this young Thunder crew swearing up a storm prematurely. Advertisement Joel Lorenzi covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joel? He can be reached at jlorenzi@ or on X/Twitter at @joelxlorenzi. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Joel's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at More: Thunder vs Pacers prediction: NBA Finals Game 6 odds, injury updates for OKC-Indiana NBA Finals schedule: Thunder vs. Pacers All times are Central This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder on brink of NBA title it dared not mention all year long
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Report: Thunder Looking to Make Big Trade Following NBA Finals Win
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Oklahoma City Thunder finished off a fantastic season on Sunday night with a Game 7 win over the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals. After being the best team in the regular season and facing a lot of adversity in the playoffs, the Thunder were crowned champions. They were more than deserving of that title after the complete year that they put together. While they will spend the next year as the reigning champions, next season begins now. With the 2025 NBA Draft just over 24 hours away, Oklahoma City does not have time to sit back and enjoy its championship too much. Head coach Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the first quarter of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on December 29, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Head coach Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the first quarter of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on December 29, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images Already, the front office is getting busy to begin the offseason. In fact, the Thunder are looking to make a big-time move just after winning the Finals. Read more: Pacers Linked to Future Hall of Fame Tyrese Haliburton Replacement According to a report from ESPN's Jonathan Givony, Oklahoma City is looking to trade up in the draft to get into the top 10. Right now, the Thunder hold the No. 15, No. 24, and No. 44 picks in the 2025 draft. They could package all three of those picks to get into the top 10 for a high upside player who could add more talent for the long-term future. Sam Presti has done an amazing job of building out the roster. Oklahoma City has a young and dynamic roster that it will look to keep together for years to come, but the front office also still has a ton of draft capital to work with to orchestrate other moves. Being able to package picks to move up in the draft to land a higher upside player is exactly what can keep a championship window open long-term. Read more: NBA Receives Strong Warning Following Tyrese Haliburton's Achilles Injury Obviously, the Thunder have their "Batman" and "Robin" already together. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the NBA MVP award this season, while Jalen Williams has become a legitimate star. Those two guys are going to be the main core of the team for the foreseeable future. However, being able to continue adding quality young pieces to the team in the coming years will help keep their depth elite and to keep adding pieces that fit the long-term vision of the team. It will be interesting to see what happens in the 2025 NBA Draft. Oklahoma City is clearly looking to make a big-time move and the front office has the ammunition to get it done. For more on the Oklahoma City Thunder and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
