NBA

Embarrassing! Coach Daigneault slams Thunder after Pacers rack up records

By Sports Desk May 02, 2021 1412

Mark Daigneault lambasted the Oklahoma City Thunder's efforts as "embarrassing" after the Indiana Pacers handed them the largest home loss in NBA history.

The eventual 152-95 shellacking edged past the previous 56-point mark set by the Boston Celtics against the Chicago Bulls three years ago and the Seattle Supersonics – who relocated to Oklahoma to become the Thunder in 2008 – versus the Houston Rockets in 1986.

The Pacers' 152-point haul was a franchise record and the eventual margin could have been even more humbling when they led by 67 points inside the final five minutes. The NBA's largest victory margin of all-time was 68 points, set by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1991.

These were all numbers that left Daigneault with few other conclusions to draw.

"It's embarrassing. I'm not gonna try to spin that," he said, as quoted by ESPN.

"We're still grateful to be playing basketball. Adversity tests the connection of the team. It tests everything. It squeezes you. It shows you who you are."

Daigneault added: "That was a clean uppercut. It's demoralising.

"I told the guys after the game, you've got to get off your feet, get mentally, physically and emotionally zero and zero tomorrow morning.

"It's about turning the page and keeping the guys connected. And getting them back into the next moment and the next game. That's one we got to flush."

Domantas Sabonis posted a first-half triple-double, finishing with 26 points, 19 rebounds and 14 assists.

"It was a timeout in the second quarter and Myles [Turner] was like, 'You need two more!' and I was like 'What?' and then he told me," Sabonis said, as per ESPN.

"We just kept playing. Guys were getting open and I was trying to find them and they made the shots."

Sabonis is only the fourth player in the past 25 seasons to claim a first-half triple-double.

Doug McDermott added a game-high 31 points, while Oshae Brissett (16 points and 13 rebounds) and Caris Levert (25 points) also made hay.

Asked whether he had ever been part of a similar game, Sabonis had to think back to his pre-NBA days.

"No, especially not at the professional level," he said.

Last modified on Sunday, 02 May 2021 11:23
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