SAN ANTONIO -- The scrap early in the second quarter of Tuesday night's season opener offered some symbolism for Chet Holmgren and his Oklahoma City Thunder teammates. Holmgren landed hard, and as he got back to his feet, his teammates had his back. That support stood in contrast to his offseason, which began after a meek exit against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals, where Holmgren managed just four points and four rebounds in a Game 7 home loss.
Holmgren bounced back with a strong performance in a 116-104 win over the Spurs, recording 14 points, seven rebounds and four blocks while serving as the primary defender against Wembanyama, who finished 1-of-13 from the floor. Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 32 points, praised Holmgren's impact. "When he's himself, your team is better," he said. "He changes everything for us."
The flashpoint came when Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox sent Holmgren sprawling with a flagrant foul in the paint. Several Thunder players converged to confront Fox, and four technical fouls were assessed after a review, including one on Wembanyama and one each to Jaylin, Jalen and Kenrich Williams. Holmgren said he appreciated the backing but questioned how the techs were assessed. "At the end of the day, anything that you're not willing to reciprocate is an advantage for the other team," he said.
Fox argued Holmgren embellished the contact, saying, "I didn't throw him that hard, I promise you." Jalen Williams joked about the cost of the fracas: "Cost me $2,500, though." The episode added fuel to what could become the NBA's next great rivalry.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing