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Chet Holmgren Sets Finals Game 7 Record With Massive Defensive Performance for Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are NBA champions for the first time, and a lot of the credit goes to Chet Holmgren.
The Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers 103–91 in Game 7 Sunday night to take home a title. Their 23-year-old center set an NBA record with his defensive play in Game 7. Holmgren's five blocks are a record for a Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The previous record was four and belonged to Marvin Webster in 1978 and Kevin Garnett in 2010.
FIVE BLOCKS AND COUNTING 😤
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 23, 2025
Chet Holmgren now has the most Finals Game 7 blocks since the category became official in 1974 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WU7vKxrttR
Holmgren finished Game 7 with 18 points, eight rebounds, a steal and those five blocks. It was a tremendous performance for a player finishing his second season.
The Thunder drafted Holmgren with the No. 2 pick in 2022 NBA draft, but he missed his entire rookie season due to a foot injury. He was an All-Rookie first-teamer in 2024 and has quickly become a key piece for the new NBA champions.
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Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.