Thunder's Chet Holmgren pulls off wild NBA feat not seen since 2014 Anthony Davis
10/27/2024 11:21 PM
The Oklahoma City Thunder are off to a terrific start to their 2024-25 NBA season, thanks in large part to the tremendous numbers big man Chet Holmgren is putting up. Oklahoma City scored their third win of the campaign on Sunday by taking down the Atlanta Hawks in the Thunder’s first home game, with the former Gonzaga Bulldogs star putting together yet another remarkable performance.
Holmgren helped the Thunder dominate Atlanta in a 128-104 win by racking up 25 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the floor, while adding nine boards, four assists, and six blocks plus a steal — all in just 33 minutes of action on the court. With those numbers, Holmgren is now averaging 23.7 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 4.0 blocks through three games to start the season, a feat seen just for the first time in the NBA since Anthony Davis in 2014, according to StatMamba.
Chet Holmgren this season:
23.7 PPG
13.0 RPG
4.0 BPG
First player to average these numbers to start a season since Anthony Davis in 2014.
Chet Holmgren helping power the Thunder’s strong start to 2024-25 season
Holmgren is proving to be one of the best young big men in the league. His exceptional blend of size, range, and ability to handle the ball has made him a problem for opposing teams. That’s not to mention his great rim protection. Opponents are shooting 20.3 percent worse on shots taken less than six feet away from the basket when Holmgren is on the floor, according to NBA.com.
Of course, Holmgren, who was taken second overall by Oklahoma City at the 2022 NBA draft, is hardly the only Thunder making waves on the court this season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams are also playing at a high level for Oklahoma City, which made a big leap in the 2023-24 campaign by making it as far as the second round of the playoffs.
Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Thunder with 28.7 points per game while Williams is putting up 18.7 points per outing. As a team, Oklahoma City is making 114.7 points per contest and allowing just 95.3 points — second-best in the NBA overall.
It will be a tough challenge for Holmgren to sustain his numbers long-term this season, but in any case, the Thunder are expecting him to produce on both ends of the floor every game.
Holmgren and the 3-0 Thunder will have another intriguing battle up next on Wednesday when they host Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
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