Chet Holmgren had to conquer his own uphill battle before he helped OKC reach the top of the mountain.
After missing 39 straight regular-season games due to a right iliac wing fracture, the big man returned to impacting both ends of the floor. Holmgren finished the season with averages of 15 points, eight rebounds and 2.2 blocks, and he played a key role in the Thunder’s run to its first-ever NBA championship.
Here are the top 10 performances by Holmgren during the 2024-25 NBA season.
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Top 10 Chet Holmgren games during OKC Thunder’s 2024-25 seasonStat line: 29 points, five rebounds and three blocks
Holmgren was off to an incredible start to the season before he suffered a right iliac wing fracture, and one of his best early outings came against Houston.
The Thunder cruised to a 126-107 win over the Rockets, who finished with the second-best record in the West. Holmgren scored 29 points in 29 minutes on 8-for-14 shooting from the field, 4-for-6 shooting from deep and 9-for-10 shooting from the free-throw line.
Those 29 points proved to be a season high for Holmgren, who dominated one of the most daunting defenses in the NBA.
Stat line: 22 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks
After missing 39 straight games due to a right iliac wing fracture, Holmgren returned in February. And it didn’t take long for him to shake the rust off.
In what only marked his sixth game back, Holmgren recorded 22 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks during OKC’s 129-121 road win over Brooklyn.
The Thunder trailed by 15 points at halftime but dominated the rest of the way to secure the victory. Holmgren scored 15 of his 22 points during the final two quarters.
Stat line: 23 points, 15 rebounds and two assists
OKC wasn’t the betting favorite in this game for one of the few times all season, and it wasn’t hard to see why.
The Thunder was without Jalen Williams, who was dealing with a right hip injury. It was also set to face the reigning champion Celtics inside TD Garden, where they finished the season with a 28-13 record.
Holmgren played a large role in the unlikely 118-112 road win. He finished with 23 points, 15 rebounds and two assists to help OKC clinch a playoff berth.
Stat line: 18 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks
Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals between OKC and Denver was one of the best games of the entire playoffs.
Holmgren did all he could to help the Thunder in the overtime nail-biter. The big man finished with 18 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks in a season-high 40 minutes.
OKC ultimately suffered 113-104 road loss, but Holmgren’s performance on the big stage still deserves a spot on this list.
Stat line: 25 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks
Long before OKC’s seven-game slugfest against Denver in the playoffs, it faced its division foe on opening night of the regular season.
The Thunder made a statement with a 102-87 road win, and Holmgren made a statement in his matchup with Nikola Jokic. OKC’s then-22-year-old big man erupted for 25 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and four blocks.
Jokic also posted strong numbers with 16 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds. But Holmgren held his own against the three-time MVP.
Stat line: 24 points and eight rebounds
OKC erased a 29-point deficit to steal a 114-108 road win over Memphis in Game 3 of the first-round playoff series. And its star trio shined.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Holmgren combined for 81 points. Holmgren accounted for 24 of those points, and his biggest bucket came when the game was on the line.
OKC trailed 108-105 with 2:39 left in the contest when Holmgren drilled a 3-pointer to tie it up. He then gave the Thunder the lead with 57.1 seconds remaining by sinking a pair of free throws.
Stat line: 22 points, seven rebounds and three blocks
OKC held a 3-1 series lead over Minnesota, and it was just one win away from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012.
That certainly wasn’t lost on Holmgren. He scored seven of OKC’s first 11 points, and his last bucket during the hot streak was an alley-oop slam that nearly took the roof off of Paycom Center.
OKC ultimately ran away with a 124-94 home win. Holmgren posted a stat line of 22 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
Stat line: 21 points, seven rebounds and three blocks
OKC escaped with a 128-126 road win over Minnesota to claim a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals. And even Anthony Edwards knew who the biggest difference maker was down the stretch.
“I think Chet changed the game for them more than anything,” Edwards said.
Holmgren recorded a monster stat line of 21 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. He also helped the Thunder seal the victory by blocking a Jaden McDaniels layup with 41 seconds remaining.
Stat line: 18 points, eight rebounds and five blocks
It all came down to Game 7 of the NBA Finals. After 17 years of waiting, OKC was only 48 minutes away from securing that elusive first championship in franchise history.
Holmgren was ready for the moment. The 23-year-old big man recorded 18 points, eight rebounds and a playoff-career-high five blocks to help OKC claim a 103-91 home win.
Three of those blocks came during the fourth quarter, as Holmgren and the Thunder rejected the pesky Pacers’ final comeback attempt. And when the final buzzer sounded, there was no denying one thing: OKC was the champion.
Stat line: 14 points, 15 rebounds and one block
The fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse could sense it.
A Game 4 win would’ve given Indiana a 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals. And the Pacers were only 12 minutes from making that a reality, as they entered the fourth quarter with an 87-80 lead over the Thunder.
But OKC blocked out the noise to earn a 111-104 road win, and Holmgren’s defense down the stretch was crucial. Indiana went 0 for 4 from the field in the final three minutes when it targeted the big man, who stood tall despite playing on a banged-up ankle that he’d twisted twice earlier in the contest.
OKC tied the series at 2-2 with the comeback win, and it went on to win its first championship in franchise history.