Chet Holmgren has been fighting through some growing pains in his rookie season.
After a breakthrough game Wednesday night in a win over the Nikola Jokic-less Nuggets, the Oklahoma City Thunder 7-footer will look to build on the momentum Friday when the Thunder take on the Charlotte Hornets in Oklahoma City.
Holmgren had one of his better games of the season against the Nuggets, with 18 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks, three assists and two turnovers in Oklahoma City’s 105-100 win.
He also hit the critical 3-pointer in the closing seconds to help seal the victory.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said Holmgren’s reaction to his dip in productivity – Holmgren had scored eight or fewer points in two of his past five games entering Wednesday – has been exactly what he would’ve wanted, though he also wanted to make sure Holmgren wasn’t pressing too much.
“When you coach Chet Holmgren, you’re in constant conversation the entire time,” Daigneault said. “… I wouldn’t have it any other way. He wants to figure it out. He wants to solve the puzzle yesterday.”
Holmgren said he was pressing a bit recently but has been working to get back to playing free.
“Sometimes you’re so focused on trying to make every single shot that you start thinking too much about the one single shot,” Holmgren said.
The Thunder have won six of their past eight.
Friday’s meeting is the first with the Hornets this season.
Charlotte has won five consecutive games against the Thunder, with Oklahoma City’s last win in the series coming in December 2020.
But while the Thunder come into Friday’s game with the second-best net rating in the NBA, outscoring opponents by 7.8 points per 100 possessions, the Hornets are last in the league, with a minus-11.8 net rating.
The Hornets come into the game having lost five consecutive games and 12 of their past 14. During that span, Charlotte is being outscored by more than 16 points per game.
“One thing about the NBA player, if you want him to listen to you, you have to tell him the truth,” Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said after his team’s 117-110 loss to Chicago Wednesday.
“So I tell them, they know there’s little room for error. I also tell them the facts. Our problems aren’t their effort, their work, how much they wanna win. Our problem is that we’re undertalented.”
Already down starters Gordon Hayward and Mark Williams, the Hornets have also been without LaMelo Ball for the past three games with right ankle soreness.
Charlotte is hopeful Ball can return against the Thunder, but they’re also not going to force the issue.
“He’s our best player and we’ve got to make sure he’s healthy,” Clifford said. “So, obviously we’re being cautious. He wants to play. He loves to play.”
Oklahoma City starter Jalen Williams and reserve Isaiah Joe missed Wednesday’s win. Williams was out with a right ankle sprain while Joe is suffering from a sternum contusion.
Both are expected to miss Friday’s game.
– Field Level Media