Thunder Look to Regroup After Back-to-Back Losses, Navigate Emotional Road Ahead
OKLAHOMA CITY - With a two-game road trip looming, the Oklahoma City Thunder are searching for answers-and rhythm-after dropping two straight at home. Head coach Mark Daigneault, speaking ahead of Tuesday’s matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans, addressed more than just basketball. The Thunder’s upcoming trip to Minnesota comes amid a tragic backdrop, following deadly shootings in the Minneapolis area that have sparked protests near the Timberwolves’ home court, the Target Center.
Daigneault was asked directly if the team had addressed the situation internally or planned any specific response.
“Organizationally, we handle the team internally, as we always do,” Daigneault said. “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.”
While Daigneault typically avoids weighing in on non-basketball matters, he acknowledged the gravity of the situation.
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.
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) January 27, 2026
It’s a great community that we’ve gone to for years. So, our hearts go out to that community,… pic.twitter.com/YXVpZ7aedp
“It’s obviously a very sad, unsettling situation there,” he said. “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.”
The Thunder will keep their plans private as they prepare to travel to Minnesota following Tuesday’s home game against New Orleans. But the emotional weight of the moment isn’t lost on the team.
On-Court Struggles and a Search for Consistency
On the court, Oklahoma City is trying to snap out of a mini-slump. After a strong stretch earlier in the season, the Thunder have now lost three of their last five, including two tight ones at home. Daigneault didn’t sugarcoat it-his team has been in position to win, but just hasn’t closed the deal.
“They obviously made some shots and some plays. We didn’t,” Daigneault said in his postgame media availability.
“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.”
That’s the fine line in the NBA-especially for a young, talented team like the Thunder. Close games often come down to execution in the margins: a missed rotation, a late turnover, a contested shot that doesn’t fall. Daigneault knows it, and so do his players.
“When you get into a game that’s that close, it’s going to come down to makes and misses,” he said. “And the trick is: can you play a floor game throughout the 48 where you have more control of it to that point?”
That’s been the theme of the last couple of games. The Thunder have been in it late, but haven’t quite taken control early enough to dictate terms. Still, Daigneault sees value in the experience.
“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,” he said. “It hasn’t gone our way, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from it.”
What’s Next
The Thunder will close out their three-game homestand Tuesday night at Paycom Center against a Pelicans team that’s been surging. Then it’s off to Minnesota, where the emotional weight of current events will hang in the background. On the floor, Oklahoma City will be looking to reset, refocus, and get back to the kind of play that had them climbing the Western Conference standings earlier in the season.
This is a team that’s shown resilience before. Now they’ll need it again-both on and off the court.