Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said his team leaned on poise, depth and belief after falling behind 15-0 in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, then turned that early shock into a 123-108 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
“Yeah, it was a punch. Credit them. They were ready to play and they got us early,” Daigneault said after Friday’s victory at Frost Bank Center. “Stops, transition, pressure. I just thought we showed great poise to understand the 48-minute nature of the game.”
The Thunder responded by using their bench to steady the night. Daigneault pointed to Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Jaylin Williams and Jared McCain as the group that changed the tone, saying, “the bench right off the bat, Alex, Cason, JWill, Jared, those guys gave us a huge lift all night obviously, but it started there just getting that game into a manageable spot.”
That second unit was a major separator. Oklahoma City’s bench outscored San Antonio’s 76-23, a margin that reflected not just production but control, especially while the Spurs tried to feed off De’Aaron Fox’s return and a fast start from Victor Wembanyama.
Daigneault said the team’s approach was built around playoff toughness, not panic. “It’s that time of year. If you’re not fearless, then you’re probably going to lose and go home,” he said. “Playoff confidence isn’t always being able to perform well. It’s being able to take your punches and keep throwing them.”
That description fit McCain, who scored 24 points, and Jaylin Williams, who added 18. Daigneault said of McCain, “He hasn’t flinched. He’s jumped right on the train,” adding that he is “a big-time teammate, big-time competitor.”
Williams drew even more praise from his coach. Daigneault called him “the ultimate compete together player” and said, “His intangibles are through the roof. He’s an unbelievable team guy. He’s always inside the team.” He added that Williams is “also a badass competitor” and “ready to rock” in any situation.
Caruso earned similar trust for his impact on both ends. Daigneault said, “The defense obviously speaks for itself. Offensively, he’s got an unbelievable floor game,” and noted that “the pace of our offense picks up when he’s in the game.”
The Thunder also tightened up after the opening surge by San Antonio, which Daigneault credited to discipline. “We knew that coming in. We couldn’t be reckless against them. They’re too good with the ball, too well coached, too talented,” he said. “I thought we really were disciplined tonight.”
He said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander helped keep the game moving in the right direction by reading the coverage rather than forcing the issue. “He was letting the game tell him what to do,” Daigneault said. “He’s just got a great ability to stay poised and stay present when the game gets muddied.”
For Oklahoma City, the message after a chaotic start was simple and clear. As Daigneault put it, “you just got to get it back on track, but you can’t wait for it to turn. You got to make it turn.”
