A new generational big man gets his first taste of the postseason.
The ideal type of big man has changed in the league. Gone are the days when bulky men who could dominate the paint like Shaquille O’Neal and David Robinson were the ones who got all the praise. Now, lanky seven-footers with the skill sets of guards and the capability to shoot the lights out are all the rage. Chet Holmgren proved why the hype around this archetype of player was more than worth it. He helped Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder get a needed NBA Playoffs win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
So, what monumental feat did Chet Holmgren pull off against the Pelicans? He just became the fifth player in all of league history to record 15+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5+ blocks in their NBA Playoffs debut, per Derek Parker of Draft Digest. Who else is on that list, you ask? Well, the names Shaquille O’Neal and David Robinson were huge back in the day, so Thunder fans might recognize them.
Chet Holmgren knocked down six out of his 14 field goal attempts and also sank 33% of his shots from outside for 15 points. He struggled when boxing out Jonas Valanciunas but the Thunder rookie still managed to get 11 rebounds against the Pelicans’ bruiser. On the defensive end, no one who was attempting to shoot over him succeded. Holmgren ended the game with five blocks while also recording a steal.
Shaquille O’Neal and David Robinson may have different styles of play from the Thunder’s slim big man but the potential to be one of them is there. The first step towards that goal is being consistent throughout the NBA Playoffs and getting a series win over the Pelicans.
Thunder gets the edge over the Pelicans
Make no mistake, the Pelicans are still tough opponents despite not having Zion Williamson. They proved just that in their NBA Playoffs clash against the Thunder. Trey Murphy III stepped up with 21 points while their big men also did the same by grabbing as many boards as possible. At the end of the game, the Pelicans even had 52 total rebounds while the Thunder only had 44 of them.
It was not until the start of the third quarter that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the rest of the squad popped off. They were able to break the tie in the first half by outscoring the Pelicans 52 to 49 in the last two-quarters of the game. The Thunder sank 43.5% of their shots from all three levels of scoring and also knocked down 31.3% of their three-pointers. This team also dominated with their inside presence by recording 42 points in the paint.
Shai Gilegous-Alexander led the way for the Thunder’s massive win. He notched 28 points while going 11 for 24 in his field goal attempts and only missing one of his seven free throw shots. His offensive arsenal also helped him drop four dimes while also grabbing six boards. It was obvious that he did not want to leave the floor until the Thunder were proclaimed winners. The fact that he played 39 minutes further proves how much he wants to make a title run.
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