After barely scraping away with a victory in Game 1, this inexperienced Oklahoma City Thunder team sure left no stone unturned in the second game of this seven-game series. Defeating the New Orleans Pelicans by an insane 32-point margin in their most recent outing, veteran NBA analyst Skip Bayless credits Spurs rookie, Victor Wembanyama, for the success Chet Holmgren had in Game 2.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder had no problems defeating the New Orleans Pelicans, 124-92. Though the Thunder were led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the end, it was Chet Holmgren who was credited for setting the tone on offense by Skip Bayless.
“Because of Victor Wembanyama’s towering presence, Chet Holmgren is getting the respect he has earned as the first-year center of the team that won the West. He set the tone for tonight’s blowout with 20 first-half points in 12 minutes.”
Because of Victor Wembanyama’s towering presence, Chet Holmgren is getting the respect he has earned as the first-year center of the team that won the West. He set the tone for tonight’s blowout with 20 first-half points in 12 minutes.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) April 25, 2024
After getting drafted by the San Antonio Spurs with the first overall pick this past NBA draft, a lot of analysts and even current players felt they would be able to bully Victor Wembanyama around, given his body structure. But nobody even came remotely close to getting the best of Wemby.
Now, according to Bayless, given what Wemby did this past season with the Spurs, he has gotten a ton of respect as a player and a defender as well, all while being a rookie in the league. And this has paved the way for Chet Holmgren to receive almost the same type of respect.
Looking back at the highlights of Game 2, Holmgren went off for 21 points to be exact in the first half of the game. Moreover, what was more commendable was Holmgren relentless efforts on the defensive end.
Towering at 7’1 with a 7’6 wingspan, Chet Holmgren has managed to create a sense of fear in opposing players while they drive towards the rim. But talking about Game 2, a 195 lbs Holmgren, giving his best, defending a 265 lbs Jonas Valanciunas may have been a sight for his head coach and a few fans as well.
Chet Holmgren’s first 2 career playoff games: 21.5 points (67% TS), 9.0 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, 1.5 assists.
Dominant interior defense, versatile off-the-catch scoring, really holding his own strength-wise and leveraging his own physical talents.
— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) April 25, 2024
So, while Bayless may not have said those same words, his comparison of Chet to Wemby, more or less, sums it up. Victor Wembanyama has the defensive end of the floor on lock but lately, Wemby started going off on offense as well. And fans got to see a glimpse of what Chet can do when following in the same footsteps.
By the end of regulation, the Gonzaga product had 26 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 assist for the game while going 9-13 from the field and 3-6 from long-range. His 50% three-point shooting percentage may have been overshadowed by his bordering 70% field goal percentage, clocking in at 69.2% shooting overall.
The Thunder have a 2-0 lead over the Pelicans as both teams head back to New Orleans for games 3 & 4. Pelicans fans surely must be missing Zion Williamson and his point production, along with the relentless energy he brought to the floor.
Alas, Williamson is not scheduled to be evaluated for another week. So, do the Thunder have a chance to sweep New Orleans in the first round? Tune into TNT Network at 3:30 PM ET to witness the third game of this seven-game series.
