OKC Thunder Announce Starting Five In Chet Holmgren's Return

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen Chet Holmgren return to the fold against the Toronto Raptors and Mark Daigneault has debuted his starting five for the first time with Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein available.

Chet Holmgren is pictured during the Thunder media day at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder (40-9) are hosting the Toronto Raptors (16-35) in what has quickly became a must-watch affair. The Thunder announced on Thursday that Chet Holmgren would return to the lineup for the Bricktown ballers after last seen on Nov. 10 when he suffered a hip fracture against the Golden State Warriors.

Holmgren's return presents many questions for the OKC Thunder, including how to handle its starting five. The Thunder have notoriously played its starting five close to the vest and tonight was no different.

Many speculated what the first five would be for Mark Daigneault's club, would Holmgren be flanked by his normal counterparts of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe/Aaron Wiggins and Jalen Williams? Or would Isaiah Hartenstein play the center, kicking Holmgren to the power forward spot and booting Joe/Wiggins out of the starting group?

Note: Lu Dort was a pre-game scratch due to back spasms.

Each side has fair arguments with the former being a comfortable lineup to place the Gonzaga product in during his first few minutes of action coming off a major injury and the ladder being the Thunder's best five-man group on paper, ripping open its new front court gift that Oklahoma City has waited to see since this summer.

Ultimately, the Thunder went with: Gilgeous-Alexander, Aaron Wiggins, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein in its starting lineup for the 22-year-old's return game.

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