The Oklahoma City Thunder find themselves in a precarious situation as they face the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. With the series tied at 2-2, the Thunder need their star player, Chet Holmgren, to step up and make a difference. However, Holmgren has been struggling against the Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, who has been outplaying him in every aspect of the game.
Holmgren, a 23-year-old big man, has been a key player for the Thunder, but his performance against Wembanyama has been underwhelming. In the first four games, Holmgren has averaged just 11.3 points on 46.9% shooting, a significant drop from his regular-season averages. This is especially concerning given the absence of Jalen Williams and the loss of Ajay Mitchell for Game 4.
One thing that immediately stands out is the lack of a physical battle between Holmgren and Wembanyama. In a game where post presence is increasingly measured by length as much as girth, Holmgren is disappearing behind Wembanyama. The Thunder's problem is that Holmgren hasn't quite made it a battle, not one worthy of a showdown between All-NBA players.
However, with the series now a best-of-three, the Thunder have a chance to reclaim home-court advantage. Holmgren can still leave his imprint on the series, but he needs to make it a battle against Wembanyama. He needs to close the gap between him and Wembanyama, even if it means doing it against Wembanyama.
The key for Oklahoma City is for Holmgren to get his with Wembanyama on the court. He can't settle for being a complementary player and can't be taken out of the series. According to NBA Courtside, Holmgren took just five shots with Wembanyama as the defender in the first four games, while Wembanyama went 4-of-9 against Holmgren in Game 1. This disparity needs to be addressed.
In conclusion, the Thunder need Holmgren to fight back against Wembanyama. It's time for Holmgren to step up and make a difference. With the series on the line, the Thunder need their star player to shine like one. Only then can they hope to reclaim the series and continue building their dynasty in Oklahoma City.
