Thunder’s Mark Daigneault comments on Minneapolis shootings

OKLAHOMA CITY — Ahead of facing the New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault was hit with a hard-hitting question about the tragic shootings in Minneapolis ahead of traveling to face the Minnesota Timberwolves. Coming off two consecutive losses at home, Daigneault and the Thunder look to bounce back before a brief two-game road trip, which kicks off against the Timberwolves on Thursday.

A reporter asked Daigneault if anything had been planned in-house with his team regarding protocol and a space for the Thunder players to reflect on the deadly shootings.

“Well, organizationally, handle the team, as we always do, internally. We wouldn’t be going to a city if there was a safety risk as it relates to the league. The league would let us know if that was the case, obviously, they’ve had games since then,” Daigneault said.

“I try not to do too much commenting, but it’s obviously a very sad, unsettling situation there. It’s a great community that we’ve gone to for years. So, our hearts go out to that community, as they’re obviously going through it right now.”

Mark Daigneault on the shootings in Minneapolis ahead of the Thunder’s trip to Minny: “I try not to do too much commenting but it’s obviously a very sad, unsettling situation there.

It’s a great community that we’ve gone to for years. So, our hearts go out to that community,… pic.twitter.com/YXVpZ7aedp

— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) January 27, 2026

Many protests have been held in and around the Minneapolis area, including near the Target Center, where the Timberwolves have held games since the tragic killings. As Daigneault alluded to, the Thunder will keep its plans private as the team will head out to Minnesota after hosting the Pelicans at the Paycom Center on Tuesday.

Mark Daigneault delivers hard truth on Thunder loss

Before Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said it wasn’t his night, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault pointed out his team’s flaws during his postgame media availability. Coming off two consecutive losses at home, Daigneault is hoping the Thunder will learn from it ahead of closing out a three-game home stand at the Paycom Center.

“They obviously made some shots and some plays. We didn’t. When you get down to that point of the game, it comes down to time management, clock management. I thought we did a decent job of that and gave ourselves a chance,” Daigneault said. “But when you get into a game that’s that close, it’s going to come down to makes and misses. And the trick is: can you play a floor game throughout the 48 where you have more control of it to that point?

“But we’ve found ourselves in that situation the last couple of nights. We’ve done a decent job of trying to give ourselves a chance to win. It hasn’t gone our way, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from it.”

The Thunder has lost three of its last five games.

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