INDIANAPOLIS — Mark Daigneault is never not experimental. With lineups and rotations, with minutes and halfcourt sets. He's taken things perhaps even further this past week, though not with so much choice.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams , the Thunder 's two brightest on-ball stars, have each been sidelined multiple games. Gilgeous-Alexander, listed as out ahead of Friday's game versus the Pacers , has appeared just once in OKC's past five games, notably playing through some discomfort before then. Williams, listed as doubtful, has been sidelined since a 33-point performance in New York with an ankle sprain.
In the meantime, the Thunder's offense has looked the part of one missing two largely important initiators. Its methods aren't as obvious, the ways it gets the shots it usually takes have been relatively unconventional.
But it's also allowed a mad scientist to try things he might not have outside of these circumstances.
"You've got to find opportunity in every circumstance in an NBA season," Daigneault said. "It's an imperfect season … We're obviously a playoff team. And when you get to the playoffs, teams are going to game plan for you and they're going to do everything they can to make you uncomfortable. And part of that is they're going to make guys play roles that they probably haven't had to play in the season."
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That might mean possessions where the ball is funneled into Cason Wallace 's hands in reserve lineups. Instances where he'll need to break out a couple dribbles before a midrange jumper, as he's had to show off in the past couple games.
Or a stretch of offense where Jaylin Williams , mostly used as a situational bruiser and short-window passer, becomes a playmaking hub for a chunk of a quarter. In its loss in Philly on Tuesday, Jaylin was part of too many dribble handoffs to count, a shift from the way things usually operate with Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams around.
Chet Holmgren orbited around him then, moving like a big wing to give the Sixers more trouble than Holmgren's usual actions provide.
"We're trying to do what's right for the team and not allow what's conventional or what's already worked to get in the way of that because things are constantly changing," said Daigneault, asked why he invites new concepts the way he does. "It's not philosophical as much as it is paranoia about making sure that we're doing everything we can to maximize the team. Usually it's past success that gets in the way.
"It's easy to experiment when things aren't working. But if things are working, there's a tendency to get rigid. And we try to stay really nimble and fluid and look at the best thing. But it's also not random experimentation. It's like an educated guess. We're not ever going to try anything that we don't think can work."
Luckily for Daigneault, he isn't resetting an overwhelming level of success with his group. OKC's definition of success under him is constantly changing, evolving as he claims more. Earlier this season, only a multi-game win streak stood in the way. Now, the comfortability of a clinched playoff spot is the obstacle. Next season, the lingering buzz of a playoff series win or two might be what the Thunder is fighting through for originality.
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Nothing in the league will remain still for OKC. The way teams aggressively began to disrespect Josh Giddey 's shot — in part a product of Holmgren being an offensive cheat code and leading to business decisions — teams will continue to adapt to the Thunder.
Isaiah Joe will move further up the scouting report. Teams will act on any of Holmgren's rookie shortcomings. More bodies will fly toward Gilgeous-Alexander. They might force players like Wallace or Lu Dort to, if not initiate offense in crucial moments, make precise reads at pivotal times.
In other instances this week, players almost never put in those situations were forced to create their own shot. To be put under duress at the end of a clock. Some, like Wallace, showed inspiring glimpses. Others, like Gordon Hayward , stuck out like a sore thumb.
Daigneault's words on experimentation weighed heavier earlier this season. Before this week, really, when the Thunder was fully healthy and still tried things other teams might not have dared to. This week, it's been by a forced hand. Though, even when absences have called for it, Daigneault has seemingly relished it.
"I don't want to be in a situation where we're adjusting to something that we've literally never done in the highest stakes environment. We'd like to know what that looks like. And so we try to be pretty aggressive and proactive because of the playoffs.
"I would never want for there to be something that we're capable of that is not discovered because of my own stubbornness, rigidity, fear. It's my job to try to uncover all that, and sometimes fail in the process."
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TIPOFF: 6 p.m. Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis (KSBI)
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Thunder adjusts to injuries to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams
