The Oklahoma City Thunder pulled off an impressive victory against the Boston Celtics in what some would consider the 2025 NBA Finals preview.
Not only did the team record an impressive win streak that broke a decades-long record, but they also took down a Celtics team that boasted one of the most talented and deepest rosters throughout the association. Moreover, they did this without one of their most important players.
While many will sing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander his praises, Mike Daigneault is also getting the credit. His masterful navigation of a team that lacked Chet Holmgren into one of the most impressive win-loss records in the league makes him a strong candidate to win Coach of the Year for two straight years.
However, the man himself decided to lessen the hype around his team, reminding them that a regular-season game against the defending champions doesn’t mean a lot in the bigger picture.
Mike Daigneault downplays the value of the Thunder’s win over the Celtics
The media hounded Daigneault with questions about the team’s potential after convincingly taking down a team many thought would repeat as champions. It’s natural for the press to think so after limiting the C’s to 27 points in the second half of a 92-105 win.
However, the 2023-24 NBCA Coach of the Year thinks that it doesn’t really take a huge meaning in the Thunder’s postseason aspirations.
Per ClutchPoints’ Josue Pavon:
“It’s one of 82, like I told you before the game. Every game’s a different challenge. We’re all running our own race. We happen to be bumping against them,” Daignealut said. “We’ll go our separate ways. So will they… the reason we’re in the position we are right now is because we’ve improved, and we’ve had our heads down and been very present in competition, and if we want to continue to improve, that’s what we have to continue to do.”
It’s fair for Daigneault to make such comments, but it’s also hard to deny that the Thunder played terrific basketball against a potential Finals opponent.
If the team continues this run of form well into the postseason, one can only imagine how terrifying they would be with Holmgren back in the lineup.
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