Overview
- Daigneault publicly dismissed calls to start Cason Wallace over Dort after Oklahoma City's 119-103 win against Memphis.
- Dort produced 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting with three steals, three blocks and a 3-of-6 mark from beyond the arc.
- Season struggles persist statistically, with Dort averaging 7.7 points on 35% from the field and 29.8% on threes, including 6.3 points per game in December.
- The coach pointed to Dort’s rise from undrafted two-way player to starter on an NBA champion as proof of resilience and reliability.
- Oklahoma City played short-handed with Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren out, Branden Carlson earned his first start, and the team improved to 14-0 at home.