Chet Holmgren’s performance is under scrutiny as the Oklahoma City Thunder face the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference final. After the Spurs’ Game 4 win, which evened the series, questions arose about how to get Holmgren more involved on offence. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander suggested finding Holmgren in the dunker spot and when he’s spacing, but acknowledged that simply repositioning him won’t solve his struggles.
Wembanyama’s Dominance
Holmgren is averaging 11.3 points on 46.9 percent shooting in this series. This is a drop from his regular-season scoring average and field goal percentage. In the previous series against the Los Angeles Lakers, he averaged 20 points on 60.8 percent shooting.
The Thunder players haven’t publicly criticised Holmgren, but it’s understood that Victor Wembanyama is outplaying him. Wembanyama’s impact is clear. The absence of Jalen Williams and the loss of Ajay Mitchell for Game 4 further highlight this issue for Oklahoma City.
Finding a Response
Holmgren shouldn’t be criticised for being outplayed by Wembanyama. However, Holmgren hasn’t quite made it a battle worthy of a showdown between All-NBA players. The Western Conference finals are now a battle.