Oklahoma City did not get its cleanest version of Game 2, but Mark Daigneault saw the response he wanted anyway. After the Thunder beat the Lakers 125-107 on Thursday night to take a 2-0 series lead, the coach said the difference was not perfection, but poise.
“We talked so much about the intentionality of being adaptable and how these games never look alike,” Daigneault said. “So we did a great job just staying present, winning the next battle in front of us.”
That battle got complicated fast when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander picked up his fourth foul in the third quarter and left with Los Angeles leading 65-61. Daigneault said the Lakers had set the tone early with their physicality, and Oklahoma City had to absorb the hit before taking control.
“I thought LA’s physicality in the first half, I thought they were the aggressor,” he said. “We had to kind of endure their punch in the first half.”
The Thunder answered without panic. Daigneault credited the whole rotation for that swing, especially the group that came in after Shai went to the bench and after the flagrant review.
“It’s just great confidence by the team and togetherness,” he said. “We strung together stops, played with great pace off those stops.”
Ajay Mitchell, starting in place of the injured Jalen Williams, was a major part of that stretch and finished with another strong night. Daigneault called him “outstanding in the first half” and praised the way he handled the pressure.
“He gave us great tempo when Shai was getting denied and when Shai was off the floor,” Daigneault said. “Just continued poise and confidence out of him in these big games.”
The coach said he would have been comfortable going back to Gilgeous-Alexander earlier, but Oklahoma City’s rhythm made that unnecessary. “I probably would have gone back to him in the third,” Daigneault said. “But we played so well, I just kept riding it.”
That same trust showed up in the defense. Chet Holmgren finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, and Daigneault said the big man was at his best when the game got messier.
“I thought he was unbelievable tonight,” Daigneault said. “He’s just the ultimate winner.”
He also highlighted the Thunder’s frontcourt backbone, including Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet and Jaylin Williams. “They’re not only great rim protectors, they’re really versatile defenders that do a lot of things for us,” he said.
Even the officiating controversy around Shai’s foul was handled with the same calm. Daigneault declined to make it a storyline, saying, “My interactions with the officials are between me and them. You know, I had plenty to say to them, but I’m going to keep it there.”
Gilgeous-Alexander still finished with 22 points, but Daigneault said the bigger story was how the MVP kept the offense organized despite being targeted. “He understands the nature of these series,” he said. “He just continues to find a blend of his aggression, getting off it early and empowering his teammates.”
The Thunder now head to Los Angeles with the series in control, and Daigneault believes the group has already shown the trait that matters most in the postseason.
“Your ability to take punches and eat those punches is as important as your ability to throw them,” he said.