OKC coach Mark Daigneault hints at an intriguing plan for Jaylin Williams

OKLAHOMA CITY — Amid numerous injuries in the frontcourt, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault relied heavily on centers Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams. While Daigneault started last season without Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren held down the fort. However, Holmgren has missed three straight games this week. However, the the defending champions extended their perfect start to 7-0. Williams had a lot to do with it.

Daigneault, who very rarely played Hartenstein and Holmgren at the same time, did was leaning towards pairing the two in different lineups, which produced positive results for both centers, as Daigneault said during his postgame media availability.

“I think J-Will’s shooting and skill gives you the ability to do that. He’s also improved defensively to the point where he’s expanded the range of matchups he can take, and there are certain situations where we think that’s beneficial for us, tonight was one of them, and we think there are others,” Daigneault said. “It’s just another option for us. It’s another tool we’re trying to develop at the right time during the season. Tonight felt like the right time.”

Jaylin Williams, who entered Sunday shooting under 20% from three, started alongside Hartenstein and connected on 4-of-9 from deep, finishing with 12 points, four assists, one block and one steal in 23 minutes against the Pelicans. Most of his attempts from behind the three-point arc were open, which is something we could see more of between now and the rest of the season, as noted by Thunder head coach Mark Daigno.

Hartenstein flirted with a double-double (14 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists) as the tandem sparked the Pelicans’ offense in a 137-106 victory.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander “better” goal in the middle of the Thunder’s 7-0 start

It comes on Sunday when the Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander broke into his househe had much better things to say about his team that tied the franchise record for best start to a regular season. For Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder are a better team than the one we saw last season.

“Honestly, I feel like we’ve had a year to get better,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “The staff hasn’t changed much from a couple of starters. From the beginning of last year, we had a year to get better, to learn each other on and off the field, and it seems like we’ve had the advantage of that this season. And honestly, we’re dealing with some injuries early in the year.

“But because we’ve gotten better, 1-15, guys in the locker room, we’re able to plug in and play, figure it out on the fly, and still have good results.”

With a win against the Clippers on Tuesday, the Thunder would go 8-0 and set the record for the best start in franchise history.