Why Chet Holmgren's NBA Debut Was Promising for the OKC Thunder
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The moment finally came. Chet Holmgren has made his arrival to the NBA, and he was more than welcome as Oklahoma City claimed a 124-104 victory over the Chicago Buls in its first game of the season on Wednesday night.
There were some jitters. Not everything was something to smile about. But there were some very valuable takeaways in the long-awaited Holmgren debut. He learned a lot about his own play, and so did head coach Mark Daigneault and the rest of the team.
“I’d say more excitement and a little bit of anxiousness,” Holmgren said of his emotions prior to the contest in the postgame presser. “The waiting part, and knowing that the ball is eventually going to tip up and all day you’re kind of just waiting for that moment, but a lot of excitement.”
He clearly felt both the excitement and the nerves, which saw him allot 11 points, four rebounds and three assists in the win.
On the surface, many might think his performance was somewhat lackluster for the hype surrounding him the past couple years. However, it was seemingly right in line for the trajectory his development will take him.
Holmgren did get bullied on the defensive end in a few instances, especially when he was ripped by Andre Drummond, which turned into a highlighted, ankle-breaking fast break lay-in. The 7-foot-1 lanky center had a tough time all night battling against the large, veteran rotation in Drummond and Nikola Vucevic.
Two 12-plus average rebounders at the height of their careers, both weighing 260-plus pounds against a 195-pound Holmgren, it was an arduous matchup for the Thunder rookie from the beginning.
But these moments will make him. These initial lows are a welcome to the NBA. And while he had a tough task defensively without much depth behind him, Holmgren was still able to display his dynamic ability on the other end of the floor.
He recorded his first NBA field goal with a half-spin fadeaway on Vucevic following a pump fake, a move that accentuates his length and proves as a barrier to contest for the defender. That move certainly will remain in his back pocket, as his balance and fluidity entering the preparation was too smooth not to have been honed in on.
Going 2-for-3 from 3-point distance, Holmgren’s entrance into his long range shot off the catch was seamless, a one-motion stroke with confidence showed his shooting prowess will be reliable and much needed to spread the floor down the line.
He fell into the offense well, complementing the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who notched 31 points on the night, and Josh Giddey, who was constantly finishing at the rim to post 16 points to begin his third season.
Although, there were still some moments where this high-powered offense could’ve been connected even deeper.
“They can’t be figured out with just one person,” Holmgren said. “All five guys gotta get on the same page and that’s extremely important in such a long season with so many possessions and so many ups and downs.
“It’s important to stick together and fix things together.”
As this young core delves into the ebbs and flows of the regular season, they’ll further emphasize the importance of remaining on the same page as a unit.
As for Holmgren, his rookie debut was perfectly fine. It was a wake up call from two brutes at the center position from the opposing team, but he still displayed that same exact upside that everyone has been raving about for years now.
His presence as a rim protector and overall interior defender will largen with opportunity, and his freedom as an offensive producer will continue to flourish deeper into the year.
“Every day I wake up I’m able to play basketball for a living, it’s a great day in my book. Definitely grateful, but I also understand there’s a lot of work to be done.”
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