Watch: Mark Daigneault talks adjustments ahead of crucial Game 5

Q: What did you think about the second unit starting the fourth quarter and how they attacked the zone?

Mark Daigneault:

We took a look at a different attack of the zone that was pretty effective. I thought we got decent shots in the first half, but we just decided to change it up a little bit. The guys did a really good job of moving the ball, finding the gaps in the zone, and then shooting with confidence. Those shots weren’t much different from the ones we missed earlier in the game, but they just kept shooting. You’ve got to have shooting resilience in the playoffs.

Q: What have you seen from Cason Wallace in this series, particularly on defense against Jamal Murray?

Daigneault:

He’s been really good, especially last game—he was really in Murray’s pocket. He’s got great speed and strength, and his mindset is similar to Lu Dort’s. Not quite as strong, but probably faster in terms of twitchiness. Both guys have unbelievable will to stick to their man, which you need against a team that leans so heavily on Murray pick-and-rolls.

Q: You've talked about “shooting resilience.” What do you mean by that in this series?

Daigneault:

The quality in the series has been very good, especially from three. We have to continue to step into those shots with confidence. If you get a good shot and don’t shoot it, your chances of getting something better on that possession are very low. I’d expect regression to the mean if we keep getting those looks. Also, we’ve been really competitive even on poor shooting nights—through defense, rebounding, and transition. That’s how we’ve stayed in games.

Q: Do you believe momentum exists in a series like this?

Daigneault:

I’m not big on momentum between games. Every game is its own entity. The teams have alternated wins so far, which argues against carryover. Tomorrow night, the ball goes up, and the better team will win. Our job is to make sure that’s us.

Q: Big picture—how has your team grown during this series?

Daigneault:

I honestly believe we’re a better team now than we were at the start of the series. These games are rich with lessons. Every time you take a punch and get back up, you build more confidence and toughness. Every time you fall short, you gain wisdom. This team has done a great job of both.

Q: How do you approach in-game adjustments and rotational changes in the playoffs?

Daigneault:

It’s never random. We’ve worked through these frameworks all season. We know the lineup combinations and the levers we can pull. Like the J-Will sub in Game 2—I wasn’t planning to use him in the first, but circumstances changed. We adapt, but with a foundation built all season, so the guys aren’t thrown off by it.

Q: You’re in the same spot as last year—tied 2–2 coming home for Game 5. Do you draw from that experience?

Daigneault:

I don’t bring it up with the team because it’s a different group and opponent. Our guys have grown since then, and while that experience helped, what matters now are the lessons from this series. This is our team, and this is our moment.

Q: How did you loosen up the Nuggets' defense in the fourth quarter?

Daigneault:

We got guys behind them early—caught them with a lob—and that shifted things. Jokic plays high when he has nothing behind him to worry about, so we adjusted, and the guys executed. Again, nothing we haven’t done before—just stuff we’ve built over time.

Q: There’s been a big difference in your team’s three-point shooting at home vs. on the road. Do you make anything of that?

Daigneault:

I try not to over-explain it. Even if it's true, I’m not sure how it changes our approach. It’s just a data point—there are so many interconnected factors that it's hard to pull anything tangible from it.