Thunder’s Mark Daigneault shrugs off extra-motivation factor vs. Lakers

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault didn’t feel anything different with his team in preparing for Thursday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. With an opportunity to send a message to the defending champions after winning 13 of 14 games, the Lakers fell behind by double-digits before trailing all night. After Luka Doncic left the game with a hamstring injury, the Thunder cruised to a 139-96 blowout win.

During his postgame media availability, a reporter asked Daigneault if he noticed an extra layer of focus within the Thunder before Thursday’s matchup against the Lakers.

“Not really,” Daigneault replied. “This team is surgically consistent with their approach. They really are. They’ve been like that for years. You can’t tell if you’re in our gym, if it’s March or October. You can’t tell if we’re playing the Lakers or anybody else. You can’t tell if we won the last game or lost it.

“So, this team does a great job of just having a high bar and striving to reach it every single day with the approach. So, I didn’t sense anything different, but we were obviously ready to play. I thought the guys really brought it.”

Mark Daigneault when asked if the Thunder were overly focused for tonight’s Lakers matchup: “Not really. This team is surgically consistent with their approach… They’ve been like that for years.

You can’t tell, if you’re in our gym, if it’s October or March. You can’t tell if… pic.twitter.com/GhwabHGWuw

— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) April 3, 2026

The Thunder grabbed a 12-point lead within the first five minutes of the game, and didn’t look back, keeping the Lakers at bay by double figures for the rest of the night. Oklahoma City secured a 23-point lead after the opening frame. By halftime, the Thunder’s advantage had ballooned to 31.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 28 points on 12-for-25 shooting, seven assists, and seven rebounds. Isaiah Joe finished with 20 points, Lu Dort added 14 points, and Jalen Williams ended the night with a near triple-double (10 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists). In terms of level of focus, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault didn’t see a difference in his team’s approach.

Jalen Williams’ take on Luka Doncic injury after Thunder win

Thunder forward Jalen Williams suffered two hamstring injuries this season. Therefore, watching Lakers All-Star Luka Doncic suffer a hamstring injury in the third quarter of Thursday’s 43-point blowout win was difficult.

Williams reflected on the moment he saw Doncic hurt while defending the Lakers’ All-Star guard.

“I feel really bad for him. It’s very spooky, in a way, to see it happen to him, and I’m the one guarding him. So, that was a weird play,” Williams said. “I didn’t even want to take off. I think he lost the ball. I could have taken off with the ball. I tried to let it (the ball) go out of bounds to give him time to figure it out. That injury sucks. So, I wish him a speedy recovery. Hope it’s not anything serious.”

The Thunder improved to 61-16.

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