For most of the regular season, San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama has always been ahead of Chet Holmgren as top rookie this year. But unlike the French phenom, the Oklahoma City Thunder star has achieved a feat no one else has done in the league.
Just recently, the Thunder went home with 124-92 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. MVP-favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gave a performance for the ages when he dropped 33 points on 68 percent shooting from the field. Chet Holmgren made 26 points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes on the floor. Jalen Williams added 21 points and seven assists to seal the win for OKC.
For their part, the Pels had Jonas Valunciunas lead the way with his 19 points and seven rebounds. Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones each had 18 points each, while CJ McCollum finished the game with 15 points and four assists. No player in New Orleans’ lineup score more than 20 points that night, leading the team to miss Zion Williamson’s productivity on the offense.
Without Williamson, the Pels are projected to be the underdogs in this series. Even with NOLA’s allegations of Thunder players flopping too much, their barrage on both ends of the court was too much for them.
Oklahoma City Thunder Star Chet Holmgren Beats Victor Wembanyama in a Playoff Feat That Hasn’t Been Seen Before
A huge reason for the Thunder’s Game 2 win was because of Holmgren. That’s why it’s insane to see him make a record no one else has done, not even Wembanyama. In a post shared by StatMuse on X:
“Chet Holmgren is the first rookie in NBA history to have a playoff game with: 25+ Points +25 Plus/Minus,” StatMuse tweeted.
Over the course of 82 regular season games, the OKC Thunder rookie averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game. In the two games he played in the postseason, though, those numbers went up to 20.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 3.5 blocks per contest in the first round.
While Wemby is shaping up to be this season’s Rookie of the Year, Holmgren isn’t that far behind. If he continues to be hot in the playoffs, he could end up being better than the Spurs star. With the way he has been playing against the New Orleans Pelicans, there’s really a lot to expect from the young big man.
For More Great Basketball Content
Follow me on Twitter at @BeatKit22 and follow us @HardwoodHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and professional sports, click here!