Mark Daigneault remains level-headed in the face of consecutive losses.
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Mark Daigneault remains level-headed in the face of consecutive losses, just as he refrained from overreacting to his Oklahoma City Thunder’s previous five-game winning streak. In that five-game winning spree, the Thunder took down some heavy hitters like Minnesota, Denver, and Boston, which are considered top teams in the NBA. However, the good times came to a halt with consecutive road losses in Atlanta and Brooklyn.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the star player for Oklahoma City, echoed Daigneault’s sentiment, advising against getting too hyped about the Thunder’s impressive start. According to him, it’s still too early to label his team as a championship contender.
However, Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t see the last two games, where Oklahoma City trailed by a combined 78-46 in the first quarter, as evidence of their limitations. Instead, he views it as a necessary step in the journey toward reaching their desired level of performance.
For the Wizards, Shamet will not be playing the game due to a muscle injury. As for the Thunder, no injuries have been reported and all players will be available for selection.
Gilgeous-Alexander is optimistic about Oklahoma City’s chances for a comeback in the upcoming match against the Wizards, marking the third game of the Thunder’s four-game road trip. Despite Oklahoma City’s offensive prowess, ranking among the NBA’s best with an average of 119.3 points per 100 possessions, the Wizards struggle defensively, holding the league’s lowest defensive rating by allowing 121.6 points per 100 possessions.
Entering Monday’s matchup, Washington is amidst a four-game slide, having suffered defeats in seven of their last eight games. Despite their reputation as a solid shooting team with a 47.9 percent success rate from the floor this season, the Wizards have experienced a slight downturn in their current losing streak, shooting at a 44.3 percent accuracy.
Washington has struggled on the boards, being outrebounded by an average of nearly 16 rebounds per game during their current streak. Both the Wizards and the Thunder rank among the league’s weakest rebounding teams. Oklahoma City holds the 28th position with 40.7 rebounds per game, while Washington is at the bottom with 39.3.
The upcoming game on Tuesday marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season. In the previous season, Oklahoma City managed to sweep both games. Notably, in the game in Washington on Nov. 16, 2022, Gilgeous-Alexander sealed the victory with a game-winning 3-pointer in the final 2 seconds and matched his then-career high with an impressive 42 points.
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