Chet

Holmgren

Holmgren logged only 32 games last season due to a hip injury, but he was productive when available. During the 2024-25 campaign, the big man put up 15 points, eight rebounds, two assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.4 triples per contest. He struggled on offense in the Finals but provided a strong defensive presence and recorded five blocks in the closeout, Game 7 victory. Holmgren is now locked in as a franchise cornerstone alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the foreseeable future, and OKC will likely look to get the last member of the team’s big three- Jalen Williams - locked into a long-term deal sooner rather than later.

Holmgren struggled offensively in this series, but he came through for his team in the title-clinching win. The big man knocked down 6-of-8 shots, hit five of his eight attempts from the charity stripe and made some monster plays on defense. So long as he can stay healthy, he should once again offer an early-round ceiling to fantasy managers thanks to his ability to hit triples and block shots.

While Holmgren has been relatively quiet offensively in the NBA Finals, his rebounding has improved by the game. After grabbing six rebounds in Games 1 and 2, the slender forward hit double digits in both games in Indianapolis. The 15 rebounds in Game 4 were one shy of his playoff career-high, and Holmgren has accounted for at least 10 in nine games this postseason. The lone concern for Chet coming out of Game 4 was him rolling his left ankle on two separate occasions, in the first and fourth quarters. However, he did not have to exit the game following either injury, and Game 5 is not until Monday night.

While Holmgren’s box score shows a solid effort with 20 points and 10 rebounds, the 23-year-old power forward certainly struggled against a physical Pacers frontline. This was encapsulated in one of the final Thunder possessions. With two minutes left and down six points, Holmgren passed up an opportunity to drive after getting the ball on a pick and roll. Later in the possession, he appeared open for a three-pointer, but was blocked by Myles Turner. After corralling the miss, Holmgren drove the lane but was denied again by Turner, with help defense from Pascal Siakam, and the possession went to the Pacers. Holmgren will need to bounce back if the Thunder are going to get back into this series with a win in Game 4 on Friday.

While Holmgren’s point total wasn’t much to write home about in Game 2, it represented a marked improvement over what he brought to the table in Game 1. Having scored six points in the opening game of the NBA Finals, Holmgren exceeded that number in the first quarter of Game 2 by putting up nine points. He was held in check for the rest of the night, but other Thunder players stepped up to help Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoulder the offensive workload. If the Holmgren who showed up to begin Game 2 is the norm, Oklahoma City’s chances of winning the franchise’s first NBA title increase substantially.

A lot of things went right for the Thunder in this game. They won the turnover matchup by a lot. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a big night. Luguentz Dort and Alex Caruso were productive on both ends of the floor. However, one thing that sticks out is that Williams and Chet Holmgren (six points, six rebounds and one block in 24 minutes) didn’t step up as SGA’s co-stars. OKC has played well when Williams has it going and has struggled when he isn’t playing well. He’ll need to be better in Game 2 on Sunday to avoid going down 0-2.

Holmgren closed out the Western Conference Finals with a flourish, surpassing 20 points in Games 4 and 5. He finished Wednesday’s clincher one blocked shot shy of a complete stat line, decisively winning the frontcourt matchups with Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert. He’ll face another challenge in the NBA Finals against either Indiana or New York, but the second-year forward/center has proven capable of meeting the moment thus far.

While Holmgren scored 22 points in Oklahoma City’s Game 2 win over the Timberwolves, that was also a game in which he failed to record a steal or blocked shot. Chet was far more impactful as a defender in Game 4, with the four defensive contributions being the most in a game for him since Game 3 of the second-round series against Denver. Oklahoma City again decided to go small to begin the second half, starting Alex Caruso (10/2/1/2 with two three-pointers in 33 minutes) alongside Holmgren instead of Isaiah Hartenstein. While Minnesota did manage to climb back into the game following that change, the ability to go small is one reason why the Thunder are so dangerous. They’ll host Game 5 on Wednesday.

For the first time since Game 3 of Oklahoma City’s first-round series against the Grizzlies, Holmgren surpassed the 20-point mark. While the rebounds were limited and he did not record any defensive stats, the 7-foot-1 forward gave Oklahoma City excellent minutes on Thursday. Thus far, Holmgren has outplayed Minnesota forward Julius Randle, which is one reason Oklahoma City heads to Minnesota with a two-game-to-none lead. Game 3 is on Saturday night.

Holmgren hit double digits in rebounds in five games this series, recording four double-doubles. While he missed all three of his three-point attempts in Game 7, the second-year forward/center filled the stat sheet otherwise. Holmgren will face a far different defensive challenge in the Western Conference Finals, as Minnesota’s Julius Randle is a more skilled offensive talent than Denver’s Aaron Gordon. Game 1 of the series is on Tuesday night.