Chet Holmgren Makes History In Victory Over Houston Rockets
Many people believe that an indicator of whether a team can contend for a title is whether or not they reach 40 wins before they suffer 20 losses. This philosophy comes from a Phil Jackson quote, who in total has won 11 NBA championships.
With 39 wins and 17 losses, the Oklahoma City Thunder sat on the cusp of this achievement entering their Sunday night game against the Houston Rockets. They’d get three cracks at it too, affording to lose two games before a do-or-die contest. This success was unforeseen by many, for the Thunder haven’t been to the postseason since Chris Paul led them there in 2020. However, behind MVP-caliber play from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a sophomore leap from Jalen Williams, and stellar play from rookie Chet Holmgren, they sit near the top of the Western Conference standings.
Holmgren, in particular, shined in OKC’s matchup with the Rockets. He made his impact felt on both ends of the court in many ways en route to 29 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and a steal. Scoring-wise, the 7-footer shined from beyond the arc, where he nailed five of his eight attempts. He also converted on six of his eight tries from 2-point range and both of his shots from the free throw line. He tied a Thunder rookie record with 16 fourth quarter points.
That wasn’t the only historic feat Holmgren accomplished tonight, though. His passing popped as well, making the right read on a consistent basis. As always, he served as a stout rim protector too. All in all, Holmgren was efficient and impactful. The Thunder outscored the Rockets by 10 points in his 33 minutes of play and ultimately won the game to enter the “40/20” club.
Holmgren’s all-around impact against Houston encapsulates a lot of what he’s done all season for the overachieving Thunder. With his statistical performance in this one, he became the first player in NBA history to make 100 3-point shots, dish out 150 dimes, and tally 150 rejections in one season. He’s accomplished this through just the first 57 games of his rookie season. As Holmgren continues to progress towards his first playoff birth, expect his name to return to the history books in the future.
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