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Tim MacMahon
OKLAHOMA CITY — It was a disappointing NBA Finals debut for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williamsthe 2022 lottery picks who are major pieces of the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s foundation.
Holmgren and Williams combined for 23 points on 8-of-28 shooting in Oklahoma City’s 111-110 Game 1 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
While expressing confidence in the Thunder’s young stars’ ability to bounce back, Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault made a point to put the challenges Holmgren and Williams are facing in perspective.
“Usually delivering in the Finals is not on the curriculum for third-year players, and they have thrust themselves into that situation, which is a credit to them,” Daigneault said after Saturday’s practice. “Now that they are here, they have to continue to do what they have done all the way through the playoffs, which is go out there, fully compete, learn the lessons and apply it forward.
“And they have done a great job of that. I think you’ve seen that over the course of the playoffs. They haven’t always played their best game, but they always get themselves ready to play the next one.”
Williams, 24, a third-team All-NBA selection who also earned a second-team All-Defensive spot, averaged 20.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game during the Thunder’s run through the Western Conference playoffs.
However, Williams endured rough patches during that run, particularly a 10-of-43 shooting slump over a three-game span in the West semifinals against the Denver Nuggets. He busted out of that funk by scoring 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting in the Thunder’s Game 7 blowout win and averaged 22.2 points in the West finals against the Minnesota Timberwolveshighlighted by a career-playoff-high 34 points in Game 4 following Oklahoma City’s only loss in that series.
“I try and think of myself as somebody that’s very uncommon,” said Williams, who had 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting in Game 1 against the Pacers. “I don’t ever think that I’m in my third year because then that allows me to make excuses. I should just go out there and play.
“Pressure is a privilege. So I enjoy being counted on and doing that, and I just think I’ve been counted on since, I feel like, last year, to be totally honest, just in regard to being there for the rest of the guys. And now we’re here in the Finals. So I don’t really see it that much different.”
Holmgren, 23, has only a season and a half of actual NBA experience due to a foot injury that sidelined him the entire 2022-23 season and a fractured pelvis that caused him to miss almost three months this season. He has proved himself as an elite rim protector and outstanding third offensive option, averaging 16.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game during the West playoffs.
But Holmgren struggled in Game 1, scoring only six points on 2-of-9 shooting. He played only 24 minutes as Daigneault opted not to pair him with fellow 7-footer Isaiah Hartensteinshifting Holmgren to center in the starting lineup, with guard Cason Wallace replacing Hartenstein.
Holmgren usually has an advantage when defended by opposing centers, but that didn’t materialize during his Finals debut.
“I feel like I could have slowed down, kind of finished some of those plays at the rim,” Holmgren said. “Obviously it hurts in a one-point loss. One single difference on one single play could have decided the whole game. Puts a magnifying glass on every single instance in the game. Everybody was feeling that on where they can be better.”
