Chet Holmgren Continues to Raise OKC Thunder’s Ceiling

Oklahoma City’s rising star at center has turned up the heat to start the postseason.

Apr 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) gestures after scoring a three point basket against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first quarter during game two of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The initial shock of Chet Holmgren’s injury at the beginning of the year wore off quickly and turned into worry. Oklahoma City, and all of its fans, waited anxiously for the timeline of recovery. When it was announced that Holmgren would be, hopefully, healthy and recovered by the postseason, the city let out a collective sigh of relief.

The Thunder knew back then how important Holmgren is to this team, and the evidence is pretty clear now. Obviously, Oklahoma City was a rock solid team without Holmgren — the record speaks for itself. But with Holmgren, the ceiling is exponentially higher. OKC needs Holmgren to win a championship.

Through two games in the postseason, Oklahoma City looks completely dominant, and Holmgren is arguably the biggest reason why. He has been one of the Thunder's most impactful players on both ends of the floor, and it's no coincidence that he looks fresh and healthy. After playing 82 games a season ago, Holmgren dealt with fatigue in the playoffs. With his rest and recovery, though, he's fresh and hungry this time around,

Holmgren is averaging a monstrous 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks in the Thunder's first two wins of the postseason. He's shooting 44% from the floor, 50% from 3-point range, and 91.7% at the charity stripe. He has had a tough matchup defensively, too, guarding a very talented forward in Jaren Jackson Jr. and a giant in Zach Edey.

He looks comfortable on both ends of the floor, and his confidence seems to grow with every game. He has interacted with the fans, firing up the crowd and sending 3-point celebrations to the sky. He seems to be playing free and having fun, and the results have been terrific.

Holmgren has always had a killer mindset, so it would make sense for him to fall into the category of playoff risers. There's a long way to go, but the early returns appear glowing.

Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.