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How Thunder’s Mark Daigneault credited Spurs’ impact beyond Victor Wembanyama
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- How Thunder’s Mark Daigneault credited Spurs’ impact beyond Victor Wembanyama
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Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder came up short against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs , losing the NBA Cup semifinals, 111-109. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder fought back until the end, but came up short down the stretch.
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After the Thunder loss to the Spurs, Daigneault highlighted Wembanyama's impact throughout the night, but made it clear that he wasn't the only Spurs player making his presence felt on both ends of the floor, he said, per The Oklahoman's Justin Martinez.
"Huge, obviously. He has great two-way impact," Daigneault said. "Obviously, a rim deterrent. He's a problem on the glass and cerainly was early. Then, he caught his rhythm offensively, make some really tough shots down the stretch. So, credit to him and them. For stretches of the game, though, they played really well without him, too. I didn't think it was isolated to them.
"That was a great team win for them — they won as a team. A lot of their guys played well, but he certainly had an impact on the game."
In his return from a calf injury, Wembanyama's 22 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks led the Spurs' bench. Spurs starters Devin Vassell (23 points), De'Aaron Fox (22 points), and Stephon Castle (22 points) led San Antonio .
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 's 29 points on 12-of-23 attempts, five assists, four rebounds, and one block led the Thunder. Jalen Williams (17 points, four steals) and Chet Holmgren (17 points, seven rebounds) combined for 34 points, and Alex Caruso's 11 points led the bench.
Mark Daigneault credits Spurs after Thunder NBA Cup loss
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Head coach Mark Daigneault watched Spurs All-Star Victor Wembanyama get the best of Chet Holmgren and the Thunder in the NBA Cup semifinals. For Daigneault, it was the Spurs' cohesive approach that stood out most throughout Saturday night's loss.
"They played a really good game, and they played hard, and competed," Daigneault added. "I thought, fundamentally, there were certainly some things that usually we do pretty well that puts us at advantages, and makes the reads easier, and gives us more space. And when don't do those things, it makes everything harder. It makes decisions harder — makes the shots more contested, and closes space on the floor.
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"So, there's a lot we can work with from that game from a process standpoint, and usually when our process is pretty good on those things, we're making pretty solid plays, and rhythm shots," Daigneault concluded.
The Spurs snapped the Thunder's 16-game win streak, handing the defending champion its second loss of the season.
Related: Dirk Nowitzki calls out Victor Wembanyama's 'dismissive' Chet Holmgren comment
Related: Did Thunder's Alex Caruso get fouled on last play vs. Spurs? Here's what Mark Daigneault said
