Could Mark Daigneault change OKC's starting lineup for Game 2 against Spurs?

Falling behind seven points in the opening minutes, Mark Daigneault has seen enough. He pulled the plug on their championship-winning starting lineup. Not even a full three minutes into their epic Western Conference Finals clash, Isaiah Hartenstein headed to the bench in favor of Alex Caruso.

The Oklahoma City Thunder ate their first gut punch of the 2026 NBA playoffs. They were on the wrong side of a nail-biter in a 122-115 double overtime Game 1 loss to the San Antonio Spurs . They open the series in a 0-1 deficit.

One of the most anticipated postseason clashes in recent memory, the Thunder and Spurs played like a couple of NBA juggernauts who showed they're several tiers ahead of the rest of the competition. Jam-packed with NBA storylines that had most media inside Paycom Center pull an impromptu all-nighter, Daigneault talked about one of the more subtle ones in the aftermath. Could the Thunder change their starting lineup?

And maybe more importantly, should they? Hartenstein only logged 12 minutes in Game 1. He had two points, two rebounds and two assists.