Down by as much as 16 at one point, the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied to clinch a 123-110 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Their win was spearheaded by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, who both had high-scoring nights. Holmgren in particular, managed to achieve a feat that puts him in the Thunder record books with none other than Kevin Durant.
Scoring 29 points, grabbing eight rebounds, dishing out seven assists and managing three blocks, Holmgren joins Durant as the only other player in Thunder history to register those numbers in a single game. (per Oklahoma City Thunder’s Rylan Stiles).
The 21-year-old rookie went 11-of-16 (68.8%) from the field, which includes five three-pointers. This season, Holmgren is averaging 17.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Just before the All-Star Game, the 7-foot-1 center ranked second in the latest rookie ladder standings, just behind Victor Wembanyama.
His contributions to the Thunder are one of the biggest reasons why the team is second in the Western Conference and is locked in a close battle with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the top seed. Oklahoma City now has a 40-17 record, winning eight out of their last 10 games. And following Sunday’s outing, Chet Holmgren and Co. are on a five-game winning streak.
Holmgren himself has been making strides after what transpired almost two years ago. After being drafted by the Thunder and making a promising impression in the Summer League, Holmgren missed the entire 2022-23 season due to an injury suffered during a Pro-am game.
Now back on the floor, the young looks to be nearing his first postseason appearance this coming April.
About the Author
Brian Buyawe is a sports aficionado with a passion for basketball, football and Formula One. His hobbies include running, reading and playing in recreational leagues. Back when he was a kid, Brian stumbled upon an old Larry Bird documentary among his family’s collection of movies, which made him a lifelong Celtics fan.
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