Enjoying one of the greatest regular seasons ever, doubters have flipped over every couch and checked the back of every cabinet to criticize the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Want to dissect their franchise-best record? They have blowout wins from the top to the bottom of the NBA. Worried about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? He's a consistent 30 points every night. Worried about the bench lineups? Here comes Jalen Williams and company to save the day.
Ah, here's something amid their 10-game win streak — Chet Holmgren's struggles since he returned from a hip fracture that cost him three months. It's been an up-and-down two months for the 22-year-old. He's had plenty of games where he's faded into the background or struggled to leave an impact on the offensive end.
That comes with the unfortunate reality of Holmgren's return. It can't be emphasized enough how serious of a season-altering injury a hip fracture is. This isn't a rolled ankle or a jammed finger. Reality is he'll likely need an offseason to get back to his All-Star-esque ascension before he suffered the injury.
Throw in playing a new position, it's a lot to put on Holmgren's plate. Patience will be needed. There will be nights where the seven-footer scored 20-plus points and nights where he is held to single-digit points.
That said, the good news is the Thunder don't need that version of Holmgren to win a championship. They've adapted in his absence and Isaiah Hartenstein's career season has been helpful. All that's required is Holmgren to hit on his outside looks and be a play-finisher.
According to Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, Holmgren gaining a rhythm is critical for their aspirations but is something they can't force. The basketball genius creatively compared it to an intangible of finding a groove to the music at a dance.
“Critical, but not something to be forced. He’s gotta work back. He’s not fully himself yet, and he’s missed some time recently with a couple of maintenance things. But you can’t force rhythm," Daigneault said. "It’s like you’re at a wedding like, ‘Dance better!’ That’s not gonna happen. You just gotta dance to the music. That’s what he needs to do."
All the Thunder can hope for is for Holmgren to gain comfort in these last handful of regular season games. If he can do that, there are close to zero holes to poke on OKC's roster and playoff limitations.
Mark Daigneault on Chet Holmgren’s rhythm: “Critical but not something to be forced. You gotta take it as it comes.. He’s not fully himself yet.. You can’t force rhythm. It’s like you’re at a wedding and say, ‘Dance better!’ That’s not gonna help. You gotta dance with the music.” pic.twitter.com/TfMZZIiBfX
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) April 1, 2025
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Mark ...
