The Oklahoma City Thunder earned a hard-fought 104–95 win over the New Orleans Pelicans at the Paycom Center, but the closing minutes descended into chaos as two on-court altercations erupted late in the fourth quarter.
OKC head coach Mark Daigneault wasn't happy about the late-game brawls. He said that the officiating in the last two minutes didn't give justice to the game.
Mark Daigneault Questions Late-Game Officiating
After the game, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault addressed the incidents, suggesting that inconsistent officiating contributed to tensions boiling over.
Mark Daigneault was asked by @AndrewKSchlecht about the altercation between OKC and New Orleans after the final buzzer:
— Justin Martinez (@Justintohoops) January 28, 2026
"Good guys. Good crew. But I thought they lost control of the game in the final minutes. I thought that altercation at the end started well before that with... pic.twitter.com/loxbyYrPXn
Daigneault stressed that he respects the officiating crew but felt the game slipped out of control in the final moments.
He pointed to an earlier confrontation between Jaylin Williams and Saddiq Bey as a clear warning sign that required firmer intervention. According to Daigneault, stronger management at that point could have prevented later escalation.
The coach also referenced a missed foul call involving Lu Dort, noting that a whistle, regardless of score or time remaining, would have stopped play and allowed officials to reset the situation before emotions intensified.
Two Altercations Erupt Late in the Fourth Quarter
According to FadeAwayWorld, the first incident occurred with under two minutes remaining, when Williams and Bey exchanged shoves during an inbound play. Officials assessed double technical fouls before allowing the game to continue.
Tensions flared again moments later after the final buzzer, when Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears reacted angrily to a hard foul by Dort on a late drive. Heated words followed, jerseys were grabbed, and both benches cleared as players rushed in, among them Zion Williamson, who helped separate teammates.
Arena security ultimately stepped in as officials worked to restore order.
Despite the commotion, the win was significant for Oklahoma City. The Thunder improved to 38–10, avoided a three-game losing streak, and maintained momentum as the defending champions. Oklahoma City next travels to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 29.
For New Orleans, the loss dropped the Pelicans to 12–37, keeping them anchored near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. They return home to host the Memphis Grizzlies on January 30, looking to regroup after a turbulent night.
Originally published on sportsworldnews.com
