Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault praised his team’s composure, preparation and collective effort after a difficult 24 hours, as the short-handed OKC defeated the Phoenix Suns 125-114 on Monday to remain unbeaten at 4-0.
The Thunder played without Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace after both suffered serious injuries expected to sideline them for several months. Chet Holmgren also missed Monday’s game with right knee patellar tendinitis, while Alex Caruso left with a sprained right ankle.
Daigneault acknowledged the emotional toll of losing Williams and Wallace but said his players managed to balance their disappointment with the need to compete.
“Last night was a tough night,” Daigneault said. “It was obviously tough from just a compassion standpoint. Those are guys that work so hard. They’re such great players. And so that was a tough pill.”
The coach credited the team for responding professionally despite the circumstances.
“The guys did a great job of appropriately honoring that and also getting themselves ready to compete, ready to play,” Daigneault said.
Ajay Mitchell stepped into a larger role and delivered a career-high 30 points, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 26. Jared McCain scored 18 points, and Isaiah Hartenstein recorded 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Daigneault highlighted Mitchell’s ability to contribute on both ends of the floor, praising his effort, intelligence and versatility.
“His physical exertion and his effort on the defensive end and on the offensive end is what stands out to me,” Daigneault said. “Just how hard he plays, how smart he plays, how skilled he is on both ends.”
The coach also praised Gilgeous-Alexander’s leadership, particularly his ability to stabilize the team when Phoenix threatened to make a run.
“He’s amazing in just about every situation, but he’s amazing in this situation,” Daigneault said. “His ability to empathize with his teammates and then also lead in the next competitive battle.”
Oklahoma City limited Devin Booker to three points on 1-of-7 shooting. Daigneault credited the team’s defensive focus and adaptability, including its use of zone defense while managing foul trouble.
“We take pride in making it difficult on the great players in the NBA, and I think through four games, we’ve done a great job of that,” he said.
Daigneault emphasized that the response was a collective effort rather than the work of a few individuals.
“It’s everybody, to be honest with you, top to bottom,” he said. “We have great people in every corner of the building.”
The Thunder, now 4-0 despite their injury setbacks, visit the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.
