OKC coach Mark Diagneault minces no words on “crap ton of free throws” in Game 4 with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander benefitting anew

Mark Daigneault’s OKC Thunder pulled off a dramatic comeback in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, rallying from a 10-point deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers 111-104 on Friday and tie the series at 2-2.

While the game delivered high-stakes action, it also featured an eye-popping 71 combined free throws, a stat Daigneault acknowledged but defended.

“There were a crap ton of fouls,” Daigneault said (per Anthony Slater). “That’s why there were a crap ton of free throws. I thought the referees did a good job.”

Trending

The Thunder went 34-of-38 from the line, while the Pacers shot 25-of-33. Indiana’s struggles at the stripe proved costly in crunch time, as Bennedict Mathurin missed three key free throws in the final minute.

Meanwhile, Indiana sent OKC to the line multiple times with away-from-the-ball fouls on inbounds plays.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge with an MVP-worthy 35 points. He attempted just two free throws over the first 44 minutes, but drew eight in the final four — fueling a game-clinching 12-1 run where he scored 15 of OKC’s last 16 points.

Jalen Williams chipped in 17 points and Alex Caruso added 20 off the bench. For Indiana, Pascal Siakam scored 20, Tyrese Haliburton had 18 and Obi Toppin added 17.

Despite both teams taking plenty of free throws, their 3-point shooting struggled. The Pacers managed just 30.6%, hitting 11 of 36 attempts, while the Thunder fared even worse at 18.8%, sinking only three of 16 shots.

Mark Diagneault praises Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Game 4 performance

Even when trailing by double digits, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remained steady — a quality that Mark Daigneault highlighted postgame.

"He's just got a great temperament,” the coach said (per Nick Gallo). “He's always been like that... He's been the same guy. He's just got an unbelievable command over himself and I think his poise and his confidence is contagious among the team."

Veteran guard Alex Caruso echoed the praise, marveling at Gilgeous-Alexander’s unshakeable demeanor.

"No matter what's going on, you look at him, and he's the same. And underneath that stoic personality and look on the court is a deep, deep, deep, rooted competitiveness."

Game 5 of the Finals tips off Monday night in Oklahoma City at 8:30 p.m. ET.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

Know More