The Oklahoma City Thunder lead the New Orleans Pelicans 1-0 in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs after their narrow win on Sunday night. They have been the new sensation in the NBA this season, and their sudden surge to relevance is due to their young crop of talent.
Chet showing out in rookie season
Chet Holmgren made his much anticipated debut this year after having to sit out all of what would have been his rookie season last year. He has been an integral part of the Thunder’s fantastic season both on the offensive and defensive end.
He and Victor Wembanyama are two unicorns in a league full of the best athletes in the world. Their size, length and wing span set them apart from the rest of the top players in the league, and both made waves of headlines in their debut seasons.
Wembanyama’s success was more individually based as his team struggled all season, but Chet has had a mix of individual and team success. He rebounded after a Lisfranc injury kept him out all of last season to play in every game this season and average 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks in his “rookie season.”
Thunder the one seed in the West
At 7′1″ and around 195 to 200 lbs depending on what he has for lunch, Chet is one of the wonders of the sports world. He can move like guard, defend like a center and shoot like a Splash Brother. The former Gonzaga Bulldog has plugged in to the starting five of the Oklahoma City Thunder perfectly and helped them grab the one seed in the Western Conference.
The Thunder’s glow up might have been a bit unexpected but they have been building a team that is going to compete in the West for a long time. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who averaged 30.1 ppg, Holmgren and Josh Giddey the Thunder propelled up the standings and held off the defending champion Denver Nuggets for the one seed heading into the playoffs.
That set up a first round match up with the New Orleans Pelicans and after one game, OKC lead 1-0 after a narrow 94-92 win on Sunday night heading into Game 2 tonight. Holmgren had 15 points and 11 rebounds in his playoff debut.
Sarah Wilson is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
