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After an underwhelming NBA debut against the Chicago Bulls, Chet Holmgren is bouncing back. In the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers, he has already put up seven points, 10 rebounds, five blocks, two assists and one steal. He looked a little hesitant against the Bulls but showed none of that in the first 24 minutes in Cleveland.
Holmgren was arguably the best player for the Thunder against the Cavaliers. He was the perfect complement to Thunder All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The lanky rookie was a menace on the defensive end just as “SGA” wreaked havoc on offense.
Fans quickly reacted to Holmgren’s first-half performance:
"Little boying Mobley"
Evan Mobley is the Cleveland Cavaliers' emerging big man. His offense needs to develop, but he is already a leading contender for Defensive Player of the Year. Holmgren may be ahead of him on both sides of the court already.
Oklahoma’s offense started and often ended with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the All-NBA guard. Sometimes, Josh Giddey initiated the offense, but it was “SGA” who almost always finished Oklahoma’s play.
Like in the game against the Chicago Bulls, Chet Holmgren’s touches were the third or the fourth option for the team on offense. He mostly set screens and then rolled or popped for jumpers. It’s a trend that has continued in tonight's matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Thunder are letting him settle into their offensive sets. They’re not forcing anything but know he can still be a weapon on offense with this versatility. It’s on the defensive end that he has already made his mark.
Chet Holmgren had a tough time dealing with Bulls backup big man Andre Drummond. The two-time All-Star is a bruising interior operator. Fortunately for the OKC Thunder, Cleveland doesn't have that kind of low post presence.
Evan Mobley is roughly of the same build as Holmgren, which has made the Thunder power forward more comfortable. Holmgren’s numbers and impact have already shown that.
Chet Holmgren may need to beef up
Andre Drummond has lost some of his explosiveness and athleticism. Still, he made Chet Holmgren look out of sorts in their matchup. Although not all teams have bruising big men, the rookie may need to bulk up a little.
The OKC Thunder have made him a roaming defensive enforcer. They have asked somebody to man the center spot for Holmgren. Still, the wiry rookie will be forced to guard big men on switches. If he had trouble dealing with Drummond, he would have a tougher time against elite centers such as Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid.
Chet Holmgren needs to pack up more muscle to be effective in one-on-one defense against the NBA’s physical big men. Oklahoma, though, is thrilled with his development already. They will let Holmgren develop naturally.
