Mark Daigneault reacts to Thunder setting franchise record after Grizzlies win
03/28/2025 12:15 AM
OKLAHOMA CITY — Head coach Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder recorded their 61st win on Thursday, setting a new franchise record for most wins in a regular season. Keyed by a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter, the Thunder defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 125-104. After Daigneault gave his bench a ton of credit for Oklahoma City’s 121-105 win against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, his starters sealed a 21-point victory.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 37 points led the way. Jalen Williams scored 20 points in his return from a hip injury, Isaiah Hartenstein added a double-double (18 points, 11 rebounds) to go with his pair of steals and blocks, and Lu Dort’s defense kept Grizzlies’ guard Desmond Bane in check.
It was an impressive effort as Daigneault spoke highly about his team on a night they clinched the best record in Thunder franchise history.
“It’s just a special group of players that operate in a special way. They deserve special things to happen for them,” Daigneault said. “There [are] obviously more opportunities ahead of us. But the best thing about them is how they do it. The professionalism, the character, the connectedness; they play the way you want a team to operate. And they deserve everything that they earn, and they’ve earned this. So, they deserve it.”
The Thunder improved to 61-12, the best record in the NBA. However, for Daigneault, it’s a testament to approaching the game the right way on a nightly basis throughout 73 regular-season games.
“It’s a result of stacking. We haven’t really set out to accomplish any big-picture things. We just try to tackle the day in front of us,” Daigneault said. “Tackle the competition in front of us. Just be our best on the next possession and on the next rep, and stack that up over time. And this team has done a great job of staying present in that process, and improving to this point. And if we want to continue to improve, we have to continue to stack.”
With nine games remaining on the regular-season schedule, the Thunder will have the opportunity to become the first team to win 65+ games since the 2017-18 Houston Rockets.
Thunder lose Alex Caruso, Jaylin Williams in win vs. Grizzlies
Thunder veteran Alex Caruso and Jaylin Williams suffered respective injuries that ruled them out of the second half of Thursday’s win. Caruso left with a back injury, and Williams sustained a left hip injury that forced him to sit out for the night.
After the game, head coach Mark Daigneault and the Thunder provided no further updates.
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