As Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals concluded, Mark Daigneault was pleased to see his role players play intensely against the Indiana Pacers. They shook off the disappointment of Game 1 with a solid outing in Game 2. Thus, most of the credit goes to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and all the bench players who stepped up to the plate.
After the bench contributed 28 points in Game 1, they stepped up the ante to score 48 points in Game 2. Alex Caruso scored 20 points and drained four three-pointers, but Aaron Wiggins showed why he’s highly rated in the league. Daigneault, impressed with Wiggins’ performance, gave him his flowers in the post-game press conference.
Mark Daigneault Lauds Aaron Wiggins’ Vital Game 2 Display
Significantly, Wiggins scored 18 points and hit some three-point bombs throughout the match. Without taking his foot off the gas pedal, Wiggins came up with significant points and didn’t allow the Pacers to creep back into the game like they did throughout these playoffs. Daigneault knew the importance of the game and credited Wiggins for his effective display from the floor.
Daigneault mentioned, “Yeah, I mean, they were huge tonight. He was huge tonight. I give him a lot of credit because he was a huge part of our success this season and in the playoffs, his role has been variant, night-to-night, but he hangs in there.”
During the regular season, Wiggins came in to take over the scoring mantle whenever SGA needed a break. He averaged 12.0 points in the regular season in just 22.9 minutes with an eFG% of 57.7%. Just a pure catch-and-shoot scorer, the shooting guard turned the tables in this game by draining 5-8 three-pointers, shooting at a 3P% of 62.5%.
“He was massive tonight, went in there with great confidence, didn’t go until the second quarter, and just drove right into the game. So great professionalism, great readiness, and a huge performance for us, you know, in that situation,” said a delighted Daigneault, satisfied with his team’s performance as Caruso had a solid game with 20 points.
Daigneault Points Out Wiggins’ Clutch Performance Against the Denver Nuggets
Apart from the points, his hustle plays stood out, like putting up solid screens to give space to his teammates, and he also had two deflections to disrupt the opposition’s offensive rhythm. Moreover, Daigneault rolled back the days to the Denver Nuggets series, saying, “I mean, he was huge in Game 4 win at Denver, in that series.”
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With the Nuggets leading the series 2-1, the Thunder had to win Game 4, or their NBA championship dreams would fade. Ultimately, they prevailed in Game 4 with a scoreline of 92-87, and Wiggins rose to the occasion. He scored 11 points in 15:46 minutes and had six huge rebounds. He finished the game with the highest team +/- rating of 14.
Games 3 and 4 could favor the Thunder if their bench players step up. With Wiggins and Caruso coming up big, the NBA Finals promise to be a thriller.
