Coach Daigneault gives press conference before Thunder faces off against Pelicans

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault is gave a press conference ahead of Sunday's game against the Pelicans. Here are the key takeaways:

Young Players Stepping Up

Daigneault praised Keyontae Johnson, Adam Flager, and Alex Ducas for their growth and professionalism. Daigneault highlighted how each has maximized limited opportunities, with Flager and Ducas improving despite injuries and Johnson adapting quickly after missing training camp and summer league.

“They’ve done a great job with the opportunities they’ve had,” Daigneault said.

Developing Talent Off the Bench

Coach Daigneault emphasized the team’s player development model, explaining how they shift players through various platforms—from G League time to high-intensity practice sessions. One unnamed player has “improved significantly” and is now a “reliable system player.”

“He's a lot further along right now than he was at the beginning of the season," Daigneault said.

Managing Minutes Post-Injury

Players returning from injury are on “minute awareness” but not strict minute restrictions. The upcoming week of practice is viewed as critical to rebuilding conditioning and rhythm ahead of the playoffs.

“The practices will be really high intensity,” Daigneault said.

Team Chemistry Drives Success

Daigneault credited team chemistry and shared character traits as key reasons for OKC’s sustained energy and resilience throughout a long season. Even in the “grind” of the NBA schedule, he said the Thunder’s camaraderie fuels their competitive edge.

“The energy goes up when they’re around each other. You need that in a long season,” Daigneault said.

No Coasting to the Finish Line

Despite clinching a playoff spot, Daigneault said the team doesn’t take any game for granted. Every game is seen as a unique opportunity to improve and compete.

“These are finite opportunities. After today, it’s one less game we get to play,” Daigneault said.

Gratitude and Focus Ahead of Playoffs

Coach Daigneault emphasized a mindset of staying present, appreciating each game, and preparing purposefully for what’s next.

“We try to squeeze all the juice out of every opportunity—today included," Daigneault said.

Overall, Daigneault's remarks reflected OKC’s development-first philosophy, their strong locker room culture, and the team’s focused yet grateful approach to closing out the season and entering the postseason.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder are heading into the final game of the regular season on a high note, having won eight of their last ten games and riding a three-game win streak. They’ve dominated the New Orleans Pelicans all season, sweeping the series by a combined 64 points — including a 137-101 blowout in February where OKC hit a franchise-record 27 three-pointers.

New Orleans, on the other hand, is in freefall, losing six straight and coming off the worst defeat in franchise history — a 153-104 loss to Miami. The Pelicans will be heavily shorthanded due to a long injury list that includes Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum.

The Thunder are also resting key players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, with several others out due to injury. Despite this, OKC enters the matchup as 12.5-point favorites and appears poised for a strong postseason run.

The game tips off at 2:30 p.m. on April 13 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The Thunder are expected to enter the NBA Play-In Tournament, with Western Conference seeds 4–7 still undecided, separated by just one game.