OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Detroit Pistons 119-103, extending its winning streak to 11 straight as head coach Mark Daigneault watches his team cruise toward the finish line of a historic regular season. Despite All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tying Michael Jordan for 69 consecutive 20+ point performances in the third quarter, the Pistons cut their deficit to four in the final frame before the Thunder went on a 12-0 run to seal the game.
Gilgeous-Alexander's 33 points led all five Thunder starters in double figures. All-Star Jalen Williams finished with 23 points, Chet Holmgren chipped in a double-double (22 points, 11 rebounds), four assists, six blocks, and two steals, and Lu Dort added 14 points and seven rebounds.
For Daigneault, these wins boil down to his team ironing out the basics before the postseason.
“A lot of it is just fundamentals that are relevant every single night in the NBA, including in the postseason, and keeping those sharp and top of mind is critical,” Daigneault said. “As we face different opponents, we see different styles. We saw three of the fastest transition offensive teams in the league, and then tonight, a very physical, high-pressure team defensively that really forces you to play with a lot of force — and Houston's similar.
“A combination of our fundamentals and what our opponents will throw at us. We've played quality opponents for a stretch now, and have quality opponents coming up. Everybody has something to play for. It's good. It sharpens our blade. It tests us, forces us to rise to a certain level if we want to win,” Daigneault concluded.
Mark Daigneault on how the Thunder benefit from their recent wins:
“We saw three of the fastest transition offensive teams in the league, and then tonight, a very physical, high-pressure team defensively that really forces you to play with a lot of force. And Houston's similar” pic.twitter.com/PtcJjVyiv0
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) April 3, 2025
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Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tops Nikola Jokic in ESPN polls
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives around Detroit Pistons guard Dennis Schroder (17) during the second half at Paycom Center
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander beat Nikola Jokic for MVP in the latest ESPN poll. Still, with signs pointing toward Gilgeous-Alexander winning MVP, his focus remains the same as Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault: improving as a team alongside his teammates.
“Every game is an opportunity to learn and get better,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “No matter what it looks like, we try to get those two things out of the game, whether it's a win or a loss. I always say every game is going to look different. Every game is going to present its different challenges. It's how we go about that. Being able to adapt on the fly, and come out on the winning side of challenges is a good habit to create.”
After a perfect 4-0 homestand, the Thunder will face the Rockets on the road on Friday.