SUMMARY
- Chet Holmgren isn't happy that the Thunder got eliminated by the Mavericks in Game 7.
- OKC managed to record one of their best season's since Holmgren came into the scene.
Chet Holmgren certainly had a great first stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Unfortunately, it all came to an end after OKC was eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round. The Mavericks certainly came in with more experience, but the Thunder certainly kept them on their heels throughout the series. Game 7 was incredibly close but it also proved that one wrong play could easily shift the entire outcome of the game.
OKC is among the teams that were underdogs coming into the playoffs. Teams like the Thunder and New York Knicks were looked over by experts who claimed that they were simply not powerful enough to go the distance. While the Knicks went down with multiple injuries, OKC certainly didn’t have the experience they needed on their side. This is one of the youngest teams in the league as well.
Chet Holmgren is prepared for the ups and downs that the NBA has in store for him
Throughout the playoffs, Chet Holmgren remained fairly consistent on both ends of the floor averaging 15.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game along with 2.5 blocks as well. These weren’t necessarily his best numbers considering what he did during the regular season. Over time, the Thunder showed a few holes in their game that certainly got the best of them against the Mavericks. Holmgren seemed very dejected after Game 7.
“Nobody wins 12 straight championships, so the chances that I’m gonna feel this at some point again is definitely there, but I’m going to do everything in my power to avoid this feeling again.”
Chet Holmgren on the Thunder’s Game 6 loss to the Mavs 🗣️pic.twitter.com/MlDTGet7ao
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 19, 2024
He said, “I’m definitely going to remember it always. You know, it’s hard to tell what you’ll remember more, the wins or the losses. But this definitely stings, doesn’t feel great. It’s definitely kind of a driving force to not want to feel this feeling again. Nobody wins 12 straight championships, so the chances that I’m feet this at some point again is definitely there. But I’m going to do everything in my power to avoid this feeling again.”
In spite of the Thunder’s loss, Holmgren had a fairly decent performance finishing with 21 points. However, it seemed like he couldn’t catch a rhythm defensively. He also struggled on the offensive board as well.
OKC recorded one of its best seasons of all time during Chet Holmgren’s debut
Chet Holmgren seems to have already dealt with a lot of adversity over the last two years he’s been in the league. He missed his first season after experiencing a Lisfranc fracture during an amateur league game against LeBron James. But he managed to bounce back strong averaging 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists along with 2.3 blocks per game. He was one of two rookies to play the entire 82-game stretch.
OKC also finished atop the Western Conference with a 57-25 record. This was their seventh-best record in franchise history and their third-best since rebranding. However, looking back at OKC’s season, they relied heavily on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to carry them offensively. Holmgren should take charge of offensive duties a bit more and improve his aggressiveness.