Thunder in 5! They’ve done it! The Oklahoma City Thunder are officially NBA Finalists. After a grueling 7-game series against the Denver Nuggets, the Thunder bounced the Minnesota Timberwolves in 5 games to become the champions of the Western Conference and secure their berth in the 2025 NBA Finals. But as Mark Daigneault was giving the Oklahoma faithful an important disclaimer, he had his moment spoiled by some “idiots” giving him the Nick Gallo treatment.

The Thunder blew out the Timberwolves tonight, 124-94, to win Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. As he gave props to the Thunder’s front office, the raucous Paycom Center crowd’s noise nearly drowned out head coach Mark Daigneault.
Even so, he wanted the Oklahoma faithful to know one thing — their job isn’t over yet.

“Just one thing for our fans. Rest up this week because we need you Thursday,” said the OKC Thunder’s head coach. And he’s right, you know. The Thunder will need the full support of their fans come next week when the NBA Finals begin at the Paycom Center. But if you watched his first speech as a Western Conference speech, you may have noticed Daigneault donning some unusual attire — a bunch of Gatorade towels.

Well, that would be courtesy of the “idiots” we talked about at the beginning. And that Mark used that word to refer to his team after they draped him in towels while he gushed over them before making his request to the crowd. “These guys are uncommon, you know, they do everything right. They’re professional. They’re high character,” he said before being rudely interrupted by the gleeful OKC players treat Mark like he’s the fun substitute teacher that everyone adores. Then Mark jabbed back by saying, “They’re idiots.”

You see, the Oklahoma City Thunder players have a tradition.Every time veteran reporter Nick Gallo interviews one of their players on the sidelines, the rest of the squad arrives to pile towels on the guy. It’s just as much a part of the Thunder’s games as incredible defense or Shai’s free throws. And tonight, the Thunder squad “Galloed” their coach.

So, at the post-game press conference, Mark talked at length about receiving the Nick Gallo. And his response just shows how much this organization values its pieces.

Makr Daigneault talks about receiving the Nick Gallo treatment from his players

The Oklahoma City Thunder personnel clearly enjoy being around each other. And we say personnel because it isn’t limited solely to their players. Their coaches, arena staff, and even their sideline reporters seem to genuinely have a great time at their jobs. Tonight, a reporter asked Mark how it felt when his team Galloed him in front of the Paycom Center crowd. His response showed a genuine appreciation for his players.

“You know, that’s how they are every day, and it’s just an unbelievable experience every day to show up and be around them. I think they gain that energy from each other. I think that’s also, in a long season with a lot of ups and downs, energy is a resource. And they bring energy to the environment, to each other, and we all benefit from that,” said Mark.

But his final remark about his team? We’re sure it’ll make the OKC Thunder players’ hearts flutter. “I, first and foremost, you know, I’m able to coach my best because of this group of players,” he finished. And Mark’s response to all this makes one thing abundantly clear.

There’s really no team like the OKC Thunder in the NBA. And we’re not saying this solely based off their on-court showings. It’s the dynamic in the organization off the court that makes them so special. What Mark said about the players uplifting everyone is visible everywhere. From the Thunder’s social media to their games, it’s an organization built around it’s people. Owing to this, 13 years after their Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook took them there, OKC are NBA finalists once more. But does this new group have what it takes? And more importantly, who’s getting the Nick Gallo treatment if they become NBA champions?