Image credit: ClutchPoints

Mark Daigneault identifies ‘big time’ players who helped Thunder win Game 4

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints | By Josue Pavon | Last updated May 11, 2025 9:50 PM ET

DENVER — After beating the Denver Nuggets 92-87, tying their Western Conference semifinal series 2-2, in Game 4, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault gushed over his team’s secondary production. After Thunder forward Chet Holmgren mentioned the quick turnaround from Game 3, a matinee with a 1:30 p.m. MST scheduled tip-off, Oklahoma City’s bench players — Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, and Aaron Wiggins — stepped up in the final frame.

Wallace and Wiggins connected on back-to-back threes at the start of the fourth quarter, while Caruso made critical defensive stops, which set the tone on both ends of the floor. The Thunder outscored the Nuggets 29-18 in the fourth quarter, which led to Daigneault giving his bench players credit during Sunday’s postgame media availability.

“They were huge. They made huge shots, and they gave us huge defense and toughness plays in that stretch of the game. Big, big time,” Daigneault said. “We played a lot of minutes the other night. Our top guys played a lot of minutes the other night in the overtime game. Quick turnaround with an early game today. We made a very intentional effort to use our depth today and get everybody going. I just thought their minutes — Cason [Wallace], A.C. [Alex Caruso], Wiggins, obviously, was huge.

“J-Will [Jaylin Williams] gave us really good minutes on Jokic. So, we could keep fresh guys on him,” Daigneault concluded.

Wiggins (11), Wallace (11), and Caruso (10) combined for 32 points on 11-of-22 shooting, including 8-of-14 from deep.

“Even I-Joe [Isaiah Joe]. He didn’t shoot great, but I thought he played a good floor game, and did his job,” Daigneault added. “He did what he needed to do. I was just so impressed with those guys. We really leaned into them today, and they really delivered for us.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bounced back from Game 3, where his poor shooting performance stood out in Friday night’s 113-104 overtime loss. SGA scored 25 points on 8-of-19 shooting in Sunday’s win against the Nuggets.

Chet Holmgren’s truth bomb before Thunder’s Game 4

Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) and Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) battle for position on the court in the second half during game three of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

When a reporter asked Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault about the quick turnaround between games 3 and 4 impacting his team, he reminded everyone that the Nuggets were facing the same hurdle. Thunder forward Chet Holmgren also mentioned it, predicting fatigue would factor into Game 4.

“This is probably the closest thing you’ll see to a back-to-back in the playoffs,” Holmgren said. “Late game OT and then come out and play not even a day and a half later. It’s a little bit of being winded out there.”

The Thunder will host the Nuggets in Game 5 on Tuesday.

This article first appeared on NBA on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: