Mark Daigneault breaks down Spurs without Victor Wembanyama – ‘They don’t miss a beat’

OKLAHOMA CITY — For the third time in two weeks, the San Antonio Spurs defeated head coach Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder with a limited Victor Wembanyama, coming off the bench, in a 117-102 Christmas Day loss. With that kind of successful ratio, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander considers the Spurs a better team than the Thunder. For Daigneault, San Antonio’s success extends beyond Wembanyama’s impact.

While Wembanyama, of course, still factored into the Spurs’ 20-point blowout of the Thunder on Tuesday, Daigneault reminded everyone during his postgame media availability of the Spurs’ success without their 7-foot-5 center, who came off the bench in all three wins against the Thunder.

“They’re a really good team. He’s obviously a very impactful player, but he missed a good amount of time, and they didn’t miss a beat when he was out,” Daigneault said. “Then, when he’s off the floor, they don’t miss a beat when he’s out. So, it’s not surprising at all. They got really good players. They play well as a team. They’re well-coached.

“They execute really well, and he’s obviously impactful, and adds to that. But it’s not like him and the rest of the team at all. They’ve got a very good team,” Daigneault concluded.

De’Aaron Fox (29 points, 12-of-19), Stephon Castle (19 points, 8-of-11), and Wembanyama (19 points, 6-of-12) combined for 67 points on an efficient 26-for-42 shooting, including 5-for-9 from deep. Fox’s 3-for-4 from behind the 3-point arc led from deep, and Wemby went 2-for-3. Harrison Barnes scored 15 points, including 3-for-7 from deep, and rookie Dylan Harper added a dozen points in an all-hands-on-deck kind of offensive production for the Spurs.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s honest take after Thunder loss

While Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault emphasized the Spurs’ high-level talent surrounding their All-Star center, Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took things a step further after a Christmas Day loss. Thunder’s Gilgeous-Alexander considers the Spurs a better team than the defending champions.

“We have to get better as a group. You don’t lose to a team three times in a row in a short span without them being better than you,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We have to get better. Look in the mirror, and that’s everybody from top to bottom, if we want to reach our ultimate goal.”

The Thunder will host the 76ers at the Paycom Center on Sunday.

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