A Late-Season Leap From Chet Holmgren Could Make OKC's Good Season Great

Oklahoma City has had a good start to the season, and Holmgren could make them end the season even better.

Feb 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center/forward Chet Holmgren (7) high fives his team before the start of a game against the Houston Rockets at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City has been the best team in the NBA this season, and one more push could make them better. 

At the All-Star break, the Thunder owns the league’s best record, sitting at 42-14. This has been because of the utter dominance OKC has displayed night in and night out. 

OKC ranks third in the NBA in points per game, as the Thunder score on average 119.7 points a night. Not only can Oklahoma City put up points, but it’s also the hardest team to score on, with teams only scoring 108 points per game against the Thunder. 

Even as they reign at the top, there are still places for OKC to improve, and one Thunder player who has already made a leap this season could give Oklahoma City a great end of the season push. 

Chet Holmgren is having the best season of his career. The third-year big man is averaging 17.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, both of which are career highs. Although his blocks per game and steals per game have dipped a little this season, Holmgren has one of the best defensive ratings in the entire league with a 103.6.

Even though Holmgren is already having an incredible season, the Thunder could benefit greatly from another boost in his play. 

OKC is going to continue to depend on the big man because he is one of the players who suits up the most. Holmgren has missed the second fewest games this season, as he has played in 49 of the 56 OKC bouts this year. His ability to play has been essential as Isaiah Hartenstein has only been available for 30 games. 

With Hartenstein and other teammates being limited due to nagging injuries, Holmgren will need to continue to step up and be a reliable scoring option for OKC on days when other Thunder key players aren’t available. 

A late-season push from Holmgren could also help the Thunder in one of the only categories they are lacking in. One of OKC’s only weaknesses is offensive rebounding. The team ranks as the fourth-worst in the NBA as they allow 12.2 offensive rebounds per game. 

The Thunder are even worse at offensive rebounding themselves, as Oklahoma City is the second-worst in the NBA, only grabbing 9.3 rebounds on the offensive end per game. Holmgren only grabs 1.9 offensive rebounds per game himself, and has room to grow when the second half of the season swings into gear. 

With how well the first part of the season has gone for the Thunder, it’s hard to ask for more. However, Holmgren could provide another push that gives OKC an even better shot at a back-to-back title run.