OKLAHOMA CITY — After a series of devastating injuries to his starting lineup one week into the 2026-27 season, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault made sure his team never felt sorry for themselves. Knowing it would do nothing to improve their current situation — losing Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace to long-term injuries before All-Star Chet Holmgren was ruled out for eight-to-10 weeks — Daigneault preached a next-man-up mantra.
After a pair of consecutive blowout losses to the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets on the road, the Thunder answered the call with two impressive wins against the Cleveland Cavs.