Chet Holmgren

SOURCE SPORTS: Thunder Beat Nuggets 102-87 Behind SGA and Holmgren’s Dominant Performances

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 Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images

In a rematch of last season’s top Western Conference teams, the Oklahoma City Thunder took an early lead in the rivalry with a 102-87 win over the Denver Nuggets. OKC, which secured the No. 1 seed last year after winning the season series 3-1, relied on standout performances from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren to set the tone.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren combined for 53 points, leading OKC’s charge. Gilgeous-Alexander packed the stat sheet with 28 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and three blocks, while Holmgren contributed 25 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks, showcasing his versatility on both ends.

Denver’s Nikola Jokić made history by recording the first triple-double of the season, tallying 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists—his 131st career triple-double. However, his efforts weren’t enough to overcome the Thunder’s dynamic duo.

One of the game’s defining moments came in the third quarter when Holmgren blocked Jokić in the lane, sprinted down the court, and completed a dunk off an assist from Gilgeous-Alexander. This play highlighted Holmgren’s two-way impact and earned an impressive Dunk Score of 65.7.

With both teams projected to contend again in a tight Western Conference, this early win may provide the Thunder a crucial edge in what’s shaping up to be another fiercely competitive season.

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SOURCE SPORTS: Wembanyama and Holmgren Headline 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Rookie Teams

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Wembanyama and Holmgren Headline 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Rookie Teams

San Antonio Spurs forward-center Victor Wembanyama and Oklahoma City Thunder forward-center Chet Holmgren have been unanimously chosen for the 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team. Both players secured First Team votes on all 99 ballots cast by a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.

Accompanying Wembanyama and Holmgren on the First Team are Charlotte Hornets forward-guard Brandon Miller, Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski.

Meanwhile, the Kia NBA All-Rookie Second Team features Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II, Houston Rockets guard-forward Amen Thompson, Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George, Oklahoma City guard Cason Wallace, and Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II.

The selection process involved a media voting panel, which nominated five players for each team regardless of position. Players earned two points for each first-team vote and one point for each second-team vote.

Check out the complete voting results for the 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Rookie Team below:

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The post SOURCE SPORTS: Wembanyama and Holmgren Headline 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Rookie Teams appeared first on The Source.

Victor Wembanyama Has Dominant Performance Against Rookie Of The Year Rival

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Victor Wembanyama finally got the Spurs back in the win column with a dominant performance over the Thunder. Wembanyama had 28 points, 13 assists, and 5 blocks as San Antonio snapped a five-game losing streak. Furthermore, the win came against Chet Holgren, widely seen as Wembanyama’s closest rival for the Rookie of the Year award. Holgrem had a 23/7/5 night in the double-digit loss to San Antonio. Holgren was originally drafted in 2022. However, he missed the entire 2022-23 season due to injury. Per the NBA rules, this makes the 2023-24 season his rookie year.

“I missed this sh-t,” Wembanyama said after the game, referring to his frustrations about the Spurs’ inability to win this season. Earlier in the week, after dropping a historic 5×5 night, Wembanyama had dismissed comparisons to Michael Jordan. “Did he do it in a win?” Wembanyama had asked, implying he cared more about wins on the board than personal accomplishments. Furthermore, Wembanyama was widely praised for his mentality by various sources around the NBA. The Spurs next host the Pacers on Sunday.

Read More: Giannis Antetokounmpo Calls Victor Wembanyama “Special” After First Matchup

Victor Wembanyama Records First Professional Triple-Double

However, Wembanyama has been making history throughout his rookie year. Back in January, Wembanyama had his first professional triple-double, putting up 16/12/10 against the ailing Detroit Pistons. Furthermore, the 21 minutes and 2 seconds Wembanyama needed to complete the feat made it the second-fastest triple-double of the shot clock era. The 22-point win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Spurs and moved them to 6-30 on the season. Meanwhile, the Pistons fell to 3-35 and extended their then-losing streak to six games.

“Doing it in a win is everything, of course. I didn’t know it was the second fastest in NBA history. It matters to me. I’m not the type to talk for nothing. This is the kind of statement we want to make as a team, and this is type of statement I want to make as a player,” Wembanyama said after the game.

Read More: Victor Wembanyama Reveals His Favorite Off-Court Hobby

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SOURCE SPORTS: OKC Thunder Fear Chet Holmgren Suffered Injury During Seattle Pr-Am

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OKC Thunder Fear Chet Holmgren Suffered Injury During Seattle Pr-Am

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s first-round draft pick Chet Holmgren may have suffered an injury in a Seattle pro-am game this past Saturday. According to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, Holmgren was injured while guarding LeBron James during the CrawsOver event.

“Chet is in the process of undergoing evaluation and when we have an update, we will communicate,” a spokesman said to Woj.

Additional NBA stars in the game were Jayson Tatum, Paolo Banchero, DeJounte Murray, and Aaron Gordon. The game was canceled in the second quarter due to wet spots on the floor and condensation.

A few highlights from the game are available below.

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SOURCE SPORTS: Orlando Magic Selects Duke’s Paolo Banchero with No. 1 Pick

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Leading up to the NBA Draft, it was believed the Orlando Magic would use the No. 1 pick to pick Jabari Smith Jr. from Auburn. Instead, they swerved the basketball world and selected Paolo Banchero of Duke.

The No. 2 pick, going to the Oklahoma City Thunder, was Gonzaga Center Chet Holmgren, and Smith Jr. would fall to the Houston Rockets at no. 3.

“I had a feeling, from the information I was being told, that it was just kind of up in the air,” Banchero said to ESPN. “Orlando wasn’t really sure yet, and just to be ready for whatever.

“I didn’t find out, though, that I was actually getting picked until about 20 seconds before the commissioner got on the stage. I didn’t even have time to really think about it or anything. It just kind of happened. I can’t believe it, but I’m ready. I’m ready.”

During his final season at Duke, Banchero averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. He now joins a young core that features Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Franz Wagner, and Wendell Carter Jr. All players, except Carter Jr., were drafted by the Magic.

To round out the top five, The Sacramento Kings drafted Keegan Murray, and Detroit added Purdue guard Jaden Ivey to their young core.

There were plenty of Draft Night trades. The New York Knicks sent Kemba Walker to the Detroit Pistons, who are expected to buy the guard out. The Philadelphia 76ers traded Danny Green and the No. 23 pick to the Memphis Grizzlies for De’Anthony Melton.

You can get a full recap of the NBA Draft here.

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