Thunder needed more from Chet Holmgren vs Spurs. OKC got it in Game 5
· Yahoo Sports
Asked after a Game 4 loss what he could do to get Chet Holmgren more involved offensively, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pondered the question for the better part of 10 seconds. Only a “hmmm,” bisected SGA’s silence. The MVP rubbed his chin for good measure, turning the moment into a full-on meme.
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Whatever SGA said was lost in how long he took to say it. The hellscape that is social media clowned Holmgren for rendering his MVP teammate speechless (in a bad way), not knowing that SGA is prone to long pauses in press conferences. That he sometimes thinks about a question before answering.
While that part of the Chet discourse was taken out of context, the essence of the criticism was fair. The Thunder needed more from its All-NBA center. It needed him to not cower against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. To not disappear offensively. To give something, anything, on that end of the floor.
Holmgren attacked from the opening bell in the Thunder’s 127-114 Game 5 win against the Spurs. He shot 4 of 4 in the opening frame, scoring the Thunder’s first two baskets on a pair of midrange jumpers over Devin Vassell.
Those shots had been there all series for Holmgren. He just needed to hunt them. And he needs to keep hunting him. Because as strong as he started, Holmgren’s aggression faded. He shot 2 of 5 over the final three quarters.
But hey, it was a step.
“He was on the gas early,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
SGA only paused for a second or two before praising Holmgren on Tuesday night.
“He was really good. Chet has all the tools, and everybody in our building and the league knows that,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “As a player you’re going to go through ups and downs, but I don’t ever worry about Chet. I know how much he loves the game, how much he cares and how much he works.
It’s too much to ask Holmgren to fill in the playmaking voids left by Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell — not all skilled 7-footers are Kevin Durant — but Holmgren can catch, dribble, spin and shoot over the top of any Spur not named Wembanyama. And while tough twos aren’t a desirable shot in the regular season, waiting for the right look against this Spurs defense means you’re never going to shoot.
Holmgren averaged 11.3 points in Games 1 through 4 — his lowest scoring average in nine playoff series.
Holmgren’s 16 points in Game 5 marked his series high. As did his 11 rebounds. All six of his baskets came from inside the arc.
“I definitely feel like there’s been times or looks that I wasn’t able to take advantage of in this series, and tonight I was, and I’ve gotta try to keep that going,” Holmgren said.
After playing 41 minutes in the double-overtime series opener, Holmgren’s minutes trended south, from 27 in Game 2, to 28 in Game 3, to 26 in Game 4. Holmgren wasn’t in the Thunder’s closing lineup Tuesday — it was Isaiah Hartenstein as the lone big — but Holmgren was back up to 30 minutes.
“These long playoff runs, nobody’s staying up here every single game,” said Daigneault, raising his arm.
The Thunder’s frontline duo of Holmgren and Hartenstein combined for 28 points and 26 rebounds. They shot 12 of 17. Hartenstein was a plus-24 (Holmgren was a minus-one, but it felt better than that).
The Chet/Wemby rivalry was a fun pre-series storyline, but it hasn’t really borne out. Rarely have they matched up against one another. And for as great as Holmgren is (one of the 15 best players in the NBA this season), Wembanyama is a one of one.
The Thunder doesn’t need Holmgren to outplay Wembanyama, but it does need something from Holmgren offensively in this matchup. More than it got from him against the Spurs in the regular season. More than Holmgren gave in the first four games of the Western Conference finals.
But Game 5 Holmgren? That’s what OKC needs more of if it’s to raise a second banner.
“I’ll bet on Chet 10 times out of 10,” SGA said, “and he proved why I would bet on him tonight.”
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at [email protected]. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Chet Holmgren delivers for Thunder in big Game 5 win over Wemby, Spurs