Why NBA Finals trip is bittersweet for Thunder's Mark Daigneault
The post Why NBA Finals trip is bittersweet for Thunder's Mark Daigneault appeared first on ClutchPoints.
The NBA Finals now have their first finalist. Head coach Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder captured the Western Conference crown with a resounding 124-94 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5.
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But to truly understand the Thunder's dominance, you have to look at how completely the Timberwolves unraveled. In the series finale, Minnesota collapsed into disarray, unable to match Oklahoma City's relentless intensity. With the Wolves' season hanging in the balance, the Thunder came out with a sharp, almost cruel sense of purpose. They didn't just win—they stripped Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, and the rest of the squad of their fight. What should have been a celebratory night for OKC carried an unexpected sting of sympathy for a Minnesota team left in ruins.
'We had it all going. The focus through the distraction of a closeout game to go to the Finals is what was most impressive. We were laser focused,' said the Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. 'That allowed our best to come to the surface.'
Right from the opening tip, Daigneault's team seized command. After Minnesota struck first, Canadian MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander answered with a scorching stretch on offense, playing a role in each of the Thunder's first five scores during a momentum-shifting 11-0 run that immediately silenced the Timberwolves' early spark.
'This is such a fun team. We're happy we're going to the Finals, but I don't want it to end. I don't want to stop coaching this team.'
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Thunder to the Finals
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Gilgeous-Alexander delivered 34 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds in just 34 minutes, capping off his dominant series with the Western Conference Finals MVP award.
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The Timberwolves unraveled. Edwards, swarmed by Oklahoma City's versatile perimeter defenders, faded into the background during the early surge. Randle, rattled by the Thunder's relentless pressure throughout the series, spent much of Game 5 in a daze, often glancing around in frustration after coughing up yet another turnover.
Minnesota's defense was practically nonexistent. Gilgeous-Alexander moved freely, blowing past Jaden McDaniels on the wing and picking apart Rudy Gobert in the paint. Jalen Williams (19 points, eight boards, five dimes) and Chet Holmgren (22 points, seven rebounds) coasted through the game with ease, as the Timberwolves showed little fight or willingness to make the gritty, high-effort plays that playoff basketball demands.
Randle paced Minnesota with 24 points, while Edwards chipped in 19, but his shooting woes continued as he went just 7-of-18 from the field. This marks the Timberwolves' second consecutive elimination in the Western Conference Finals.
After clinching the series 4-1, Daigneault and the Thunder now await the victor of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is set for June 5 in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder will hold home-court advantage.
The Thunder's revival, fueled by a talented young roster and MVP Gilgeous-Alexander, signals the start of a new chapter for a franchise determined to pursue an NBA championship once again.
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