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Thunder’s Mark Daigneault reveals cold-blooded approach to playoff rivals
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- Thunder’s Mark Daigneault reveals cold-blooded approach to playoff rivals
Thunder's Mark Daigneault reveals cold-blooded approach to playoff rivals appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Through the ups and downs of a monotonous regular season, head coach Mark Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Thunder have always turned to internal forces for confidence and preparation. While the defending champion Thunder awaits its first-round opponent , the 2026 playoffs are no different for Daigneault and the Thunder.
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Daigneault revealed the Thunder's mindset ahead of defending a title for the first time in franchise history.
"We're more focused on our own strengths than we are on the opponents' strengths or weaknesses," Daigneault said. "You've got to kind of win the battle with yourself first. Then, an opponent shows up in front of you, and you, obviously, have to plan to attack that challenge. We're not really preoccupied with what our opponents are doing, how they're going to play, what they're good at, what they're not good at; we're trying to get our house in order first."
Mark Daigneault and the Thunder are familiar with the long road ahead to win a championship. As Daigneault and the Thunder embark on that journey, his team's search for the best version of itself is critical to win back-to-back titles.
Sam Presti's message to Thunder before title defense
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Thunder forward Jalen Williams relayed a message from Thunder GM Sam Presti ahead of defending the NBA title.
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"Sam made a really good point, and it was just like, you can play the Finals back, last year, 6 million times, and there's a lot of times we don't win it," Williams said. "You can play a series back 6 million times, and you don't win it. In Memphis, somebody can get hurt. You just never know. I know Indiana feels the exact same way, too. There are a million scenarios they probably replay and feel they should've won.
"So, that's our biggest motivator. We can't go back in time and replicate any of that. And that's what makes this really special for us."
The winner of Wednesday's Warriors-Clippers matchup in the Play-In Tournament will face the Suns for the 8th seed in the Western Conference.
Related: Jalen Williams reveals Thunder GM Sam Presti's stern message to defending champions
Related: Thunder playoffs first-round opponent prediction, which team is most threatening?
