Chet Holmgren bounced back from his Game 7 disappointment against the San Antonio Spurs with a strong performance in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 116-104 season-opening win Tuesday night in San Antonio. Holmgren finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, and he served as the primary defender against Victor Wembanyama, who struggled offensively and finished 1-of-13 from the floor.
The performance marked a sharp turnaround for the All-NBA power forward/center. His offseason followed a meek exit against Wembanyama and the Spurs in the Western Conference finals, which ended with a four-point, four-rebound dud in a Game 7 home loss.
Gilgeous-Alexander praises Holmgren’s impact
Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 32 points, said Holmgren’s presence changes everything for Oklahoma City.
“Chet is an All-NBA talent on both ends of the floor,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “When he’s himself, your team is better. It’s as simple as that. When he’s aggressive, when he’s confident, when he’s out there playing his game, he makes your basketball team better. It’s no coincidence: He played better; we had a good night tonight. The box score doesn’t show everything he does out there. He changes everything for us.”
Early scrap offers symbolism
A scrap early in the second quarter offered some symbolism for Holmgren and his teammates. Holmgren landed with a thud, and as he got back to his feet, his teammates had his back.
Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox committed a flagrant foul 1 that left the lanky 7-footer sprawled on the floor in the middle of the paint. As Holmgren was posting up, Fox grabbed him by the shoulders from behind and tossed him to the floor. The other Thunder players on the floor converged to confront Fox.
After a review, officials assessed four technical fouls: one on Wembanyama and one on each Williams on Oklahoma City’s roster, Jaylin, Jalen and Kenrich.
“I’m going to get up and keep hooping, but I appreciate my teammates having my back,” Holmgren said. “I’m not necessarily sure how exactly we get three techs for reactions to something else. I don’t totally understand that.
“But at the end of the day, I feel like anything that you’re not willing to reciprocate is an advantage for the other team. So if they want to play physical, we have to match that, and the refs are going to do their job in keeping that within the guidelines.”
Fox implied that Holmgren embellished to sell the foul.
“[If] somebody grabs you like that and you go flying on the floor like that, you’ve got other problems to worry about,” Fox said. “I didn’t throw him that hard, I promise you.”
Thunder add spice to a budding rivalry
The Thunder considered Fox’s force on the play unnecessary and reacted accordingly, adding a bit of spice to what is shaping up as the NBA’s next great rivalry. Jaylin Williams arrived first and went face to chest with Wembanyama, who intervened on Fox’s behalf. Jalen Williams and Kenrich Williams joined a split-second later.
“I didn’t really like the play,” Jalen Williams said. “I just ran in there. If anybody’s ever been in a scuffle, there’s really not a lot of thinking to it. It’s just, make sure I have my guys back in there. In NBA scuffles, just grab whoever’s close and just push. Cost me $2,500, though.
“It’s the first ever Williams, Williams, Williams T’d up. Happy to be a part of it.”