Last night, the Thunder overcame a 10-point deficit at halftime to defeat the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics and extend their winning streak to 15 games. The Thunder have been super impressive during this win streak, beating some outstanding teams along the way. A big part of the Thunder’s success this season has been Shai Gilgeous-Alexander turning in an MVP performance on a nightly basis. However, someone who deserves just as much of the credit is Thunder’s head coach Mark Daigneault. Daigneault’s halftime adjustments, especially over the last couple of games, have been crucial for the Thunder’s success.
Mark Daigneault was the Thunder’s G-League coach for five years before becoming their head coach in 2020. The Thunder have improved their record every season since Daigneault’s hiring. Their biggest jump came in the 2023-2024 season after they increased their win total by 17 and became the youngest one-seed in NBA history. Daigneault also won the Coach of the Year award that season.
However, Daigneault has taken his skills to another level this season. He has gotten this Thunder team to a 30-5 record and is on pace to win 70 games. What he has done this season, especially when the Thunder haven’t been 100 percent healthy all year, may be more impressive than what he accomplished last year.
Mark Daigneault’s Halftime Adjustments Are Crucial For OKC
Using the First Half to Feel Out Teams
Since the NBA plays an 82-game season, there isn’t a lot of time for teams to plan for a specific opponent, unlike in the NFL, where you get a whole week in between games. Since that is the case, the Thunder seemingly take the first half to feel out a team, especially if it’s their first time playing them. These last few games have shown that, as the Thunder have trailed at halftime in each of the last four games. Three of those opponents played the Thunder for the first time this season. Essentially, what Daigneault is doing is allowing the Thunder to feel out their opponent in the first half before making adjustments at halftime, when the opponent doesn’t have time to match their changes.
A Completely Different Team in the Second Half
Daigneault’s halftime adjustments were a big reason why the Thunder came back in the last four games, especially in the last two games against the Knicks and Celtics. The Thunder trailed the Knicks by 12 at the half, thanks in large part to Mikal Bridges’ 19 points. However, after the break, Daigneault made his adjustment and held the Knicks to only 41 points after they scored 66 in the first half. Bridges only scored five points in the second half.
This came up again against the Boston Celtics when they were down by 10 at halftime. In the second half, the Thunder held the defending champs to 27 points, which was their lowest in any half this season. In addition, they held them under 100 points for the first time all year. Jaylen Brown, who dominated the first half scoring 21 points, went scoreless in the second half. The adjustment was putting Lu Dort on Brown instead of having Dort on Jayson Tatum. It is these little micro-adjustments by Daigneault that help the Thunder get back to playing their style of play, which has been crucial for them all year.
How did Jaylen Brown score 21 in the first half and 0 in the second half?
Mark Daigneault: “We moved Lu Dort on him.”
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) January 5, 2025
Not Stuck in the Spotlight
Finally, besides Daigneault’s second-half adjustments, another thing that makes him a great coach is not allowing this team to get stuck in the spotlight. When you have a young team like the Thunder, it is easy for them to get stuck in the spotlight of everything, especially when you are on a winning streak. Looking too far ahead and thinking you’re better than anyone can cause a good young team to lose several games in a row. However, that has not been the case with Daigneault and this young Thunder team.
This Thunder team has bought into everything Daigneault has implanted in them. One of those big things he has implanted has been this 0-0 mindset. No matter if you win or lose, the next game you start over and are back to 0-0. This way, the Thunder stay in the present, taking one game at a time and not getting caught up with the 15-game winning streak or being first place in the West.
The Last Word on Daigneault’s Halftime Adjustments
The Thunder have been one of the best teams this year and are looking like a championship contender. There are a lot of things you can point to for the Thunder’s success this season, whether it’s SGA having another MVP-caliber year or the team having the best defense in the league. However, Mark Daigneault should get more credit for their record. What Daigneault has done with this team, with all their injuries and the constant halftime adjustments he makes, has been a pleasure to watch. Daigneault and his coaching will play a major factor in the Thunder’s ability to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
