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OKC Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault lauded the squad for recording such a mark ahead of what is expected to be a tough playoff run for the team.
The OKC Thunder had their best scoring and assist game of the season against the Utah Jazz on Sunday.
The Thunder put up 146 points in their 35-point beatdown of the Jazz, on top of tallying a season-best 40-assist performance.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault lauded the squad for recording such a mark ahead of what is expected to be a tough playoff run for the team.
“Our focus never wavered on the offensive end. We moved the ball ahead of them really well. I thought for the most part we played really well,” Daigneault said in the post-game press conference.
“We got to a lot of different things tonight and ripped through some stuff and took a look at a couple of different things,” he added.
The Thunder scored more than 33 points in all quarters against the Jazz, including a 40-point first-quarter explosion that set the tone for the game.
Seven players scored in double digits for the Thunder, led by Chet Holmgren, who had 21 points on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting from the field.
The win pushed the Thunder to a 62-16 record and closer to formally securing the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
Thunder Not Focused on Standings
GettyThunder Mark Daigneault speaks on team mentality ahead of playoffs.
The Thunder may have been sitting atop the Western Conference for most of the regular season, but their focus remained not on the standings but on improving their game for the playoffs, according to Daigneault.
“This team is surgically consistent with the approach,” he said after the Thunder beat the Lakers, 139-96, on Thursday. “They’ve been like that for years. You can’t tell, if you’re in our gym, if it’s October or March.”
His statements echoed his earlier sentiment about the team’s approach ahead of the playoffs.
“If your sense of urgency increases based on the standings, then your sense of urgency wasn’t high enough to begin with is how I would answer that,” he said on March 28. “We try to have a sense of urgency about improving, building our habits, competing together every single opportunity we get.”
If the Thunder seals the top spot this season, it will be the third straight year that the squad has occupied the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference. In 2024, they lost in the second round against the Dallas Mavericks, before winning the championship in 2025.
The Thunder currently holds a 3.0-game advantage over the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs, which is now at 59-19. They both have four games remaining on their schedule.
Thunder Roster Looks Intact Heading to the Playoffs
GettyOKC Thunder looks intact heading to the playoffs.
The Thunder has struggled with injuries throughout the year, especially from their core players such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren, among others.
However, with a few games remaining on their regular season schedule, the team is now cleared of any injuries from their rotation, at least according to their latest injury report.
Only rookie Thomas Sorber is listed in the injury report. Sorber has been recovering from an ACL tear and has not yet played on an NBA court.
After wrapping up the regular season, the Thunder will still have a week to prepare for the playoffs as they have to wait for the winner of the play-in tournament.
Rob Andrew Lo Rob Andrew Lo is a writer at Heavy Sports and is covering the NBA. He has covered local, collegiate, professional and international sports in various sites. He was the sports editor of The Varsitarian, the official student publication of University of Santo Tomas, and a sports, entertainment, and lifestyle writer for Rappler.
A Journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, he has built his voice across both collegiate and international platforms, previously contributing NBA coverage to Fansided and Sportskeeda.
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