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Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Finals 2025: Want to win a championship? Your team might need a Chet Holmgren
Over the final four minutes of the first quarter in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, as he does for stretches on most nights, Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren showed a little bit of everything he can do. Defensively, Holmgren slid from the corner, where he was hidden on Indiana Pacers center Thomas Bryant, to block one-time slam dunk champion Obi Toppin at the rim. A few possessions later, Holmgren switched onto T.J. McConnell, sticking with Indiana's pest and forcing him into a contested long 2-pointer. Advertisement Offensively, Holmgren spotted up from the left arc for an in-rhythm 3-pointer. That set up his next attack a few plays later, as he took another pass on the left arc, drawing Pacers big Myles Turner to the perimeter. Holmgren took him off the dribble, finger-rolling home a layup from his outstretched 7-foot-6 wingspan. Otherwise, Holmgren keeps the ball moving with his passing, even calmly registering an assist from his backside on a broken play early in the second quarter. As it turns out, everything he can do is quite a lot. In other words: Every NBA team could use a Chet Holmgren. Sure, it is easy to say: Get yourself a 7-foot-1 No. 2 overall pick who can shoot the 3, attack close-outs, pass with aplomb and hold his own defensively in space. But, as his Thunder remain betting favorites to win the championship, according to BetMGM, he begs the question: Does a team need some semblance of a Chet Holmgren — or, at the very least, a floor-spacing rim protector — to compete for a title? Advertisement Holmgren finished the Thunder's Game 2 victory against the Pacers with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block, hardly the stuff of legend, but his contributions to Oklahoma City go well beyond stat lines. While 3-and-D wings were once the craze — and still are (they are extremely necessary, too) — the 3-and-D big is what unlocks every lineup combination for his team. Put him at center, and he can anchor smaller five-out units, which feature shooters everywhere and a more versatile defensive approach. Slide him to the power forward position, and he can help to physically punish opponents in double-big combinations. As Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said after Game 2, "When we play small, we tend to be a little bit more of a turnover defense. When we play bigger, we have other strengths. It's a combination of things." Typically, teams will have to choose between sacrificing rim protection in small-ball lineups or versatility in double-big outfits, but with someone like Holmgren, that sacrifice is minimized, or eliminated entirely. Case in point: The Thunder outscored opponents by roughly 15 points per 100 meaningful possessions regardless of whether Holmgren manned the 4 or the 5 position during the regular season, per Cleaning the Glass. That dominance was nearly halved to a mortal figure whenever he was off the floor. Advertisement The Thunder inexplicably abandoned their double-big lineups in their Game 1 loss to Indiana, which was curious, because the Pacers have no counter for them. They have Myles Turner, a center whose ability to space the floor and protect the rim has unlocked a sensational small-ball outfit that has carried Indiana this far. What they lack is a second big who can play alongside him. What they lack is a Chet Holmgren. And maybe that is the final piece to a championship puzzle: Teams need a facsimile of Holmgren to unlock the double-big arrow in their quiver, and they need that second capable big to employ it. This is why the Thunder felt compelled to give Isaiah Hartenstein a three-year, $87 million contract last summer. Consider the Boston Celtics, who won last year's championship with a pair of big men, Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis, both of whom could shoot the 3 and anchor a defense. They could play separately or with each other, and the ability to do both is what unlocked their full potential. They survived without Porziņģis for much of last year's playoffs, but this year they ran into New York Knicks big Karl-Anthony Towns, whose ability to play as a 4 or a 5 allowed then-head coach Tom Thibodeau to toy with lineup combinations until he found one with Mitchell Robinson at center that punished the smaller Celtics. Look at the league's recent champions, and you will find someone who can flutter between the 4 and the 5 and be effective at both. As we saw again this season, Aaron Gordon could play alongside Nikola Jokić or spell him at the 5 for the Denver Nuggets. Draymond Green was the original "Every Team Needs A Version of This Guy" for the Golden State Warriors. He played with Kevon Looney or without. Advertisement Look at the standings, too. Every good team has someone like Holmgren (i.e., Evan Mobley of the 64-win Cleveland Cavaliers). Every bad team does not (the Washington Wizards, for example, hope Alex Sarr can become him). Every middling team wishes its version of Holmgren was as good as he is. (Imagine, for a moment, if you swapped Isaiah Stewart for Holmgren and what the Detroit Pistons might look like.) Think of the Houston Rockets. They boasted both Alperen Şengün and Steven Adams, either of whom could man the center position and neither of whom was best positioned to play power forward. While they enjoyed some success as a double-big combination, the Rockets rarely trusted them, because they lacked versatility on defense and shrunk the floor on offense. It made them susceptible to the first-round loss they suffered against the Warriors, who practically invented this concept of an ultra-versatile big. Think of the Chicago Bulls, who feature Nikola Vučević. He can shoot but cannot defend the rim. Think of the Atlanta Hawks, whose bigs can defend the rim but cannot shoot. You can get paid handsomely to do one or the other, but can you win on the highest level? Not if the most recent champions are indicators. It is not a novel concept to consider that every team needs a Chet Holmgren or someone who can do a bit of everything in the frontcourt. But it may be a necessary one if you hope to win the championship.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Finals 2025: Want to win a championship? Your team might need a Chet Holmgren
Over the final four minutes of the first quarter in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, as he does for stretches on most nights, Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren showed a little bit of everything he can do. Defensively, Holmgren slid from the corner, where he was hidden on Indiana Pacers center Thomas Bryant, to block one-time slam dunk champion Obi Toppin at the rim. A few possessions later, Holmgren switched onto T.J. McConnell, sticking with Indiana's pest and forcing him into a contested long 2-pointer. Advertisement Offensively, Holmgren spotted up from the left arc for an in-rhythm 3-pointer. That set up his next attack a few plays later, as he took another pass on the left arc, drawing Pacers big Myles Turner to the perimeter. Holmgren took him off the dribble, finger-rolling home a layup from his outstretched 7-foot-6 wingspan. Otherwise, Holmgren keeps the ball moving with his passing, even calmly registering an assist from his backside on a broken play early in the second quarter. As it turns out, everything he can do is quite a lot. In other words: Every NBA team could use a Chet Holmgren. Sure, it is easy to say: Get yourself a 7-foot-1 No. 2 overall pick who can shoot the 3, attack close-outs, pass with aplomb and hold his own defensively in space. But, as his Thunder remain betting favorites to win the championship, according to BetMGM, he begs the question: Does a team need some semblance of a Chet Holmgren — or, at the very least, a floor-spacing rim protector — to compete for a title? Advertisement Holmgren finished the Thunder's Game 2 victory against the Pacers with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block, hardly the stuff of legend, but his contributions to Oklahoma City go well beyond stat lines. While 3-and-D wings were once the craze — and still are (they are extremely necessary, too) — the 3-and-D big is what unlocks every lineup combination for his team. Put him at center, and he can anchor smaller five-out units, which feature shooters everywhere and a more versatile defensive approach. Slide him to the power forward position, and he can help to physically punish opponents in double-big combinations. As Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said after Game 2, "When we play small, we tend to be a little bit more of a turnover defense. When we play bigger, we have other strengths. It's a combination of things." Typically, teams will have to choose between sacrificing rim protection in small-ball lineups or versatility in double-big outfits, but with someone like Holmgren, that sacrifice is minimized, or eliminated entirely. Case in point: The Thunder outscored opponents by roughly 15 points per 100 meaningful possessions regardless of whether Holmgren manned the 4 or the 5 position during the regular season, per Cleaning the Glass. That dominance was nearly halved to a mortal figure whenever he was off the floor. Advertisement The Thunder inexplicably abandoned their double-big lineups in their Game 1 loss to Indiana, which was curious, because the Pacers have no counter for them. They have Myles Turner, a center whose ability to space the floor and protect the rim has unlocked a sensational small-ball outfit that has carried Indiana this far. What they lack is a second big who can play alongside him. What they lack is a Chet Holmgren. And maybe that is the final piece to a championship puzzle: Teams need a facsimile of Holmgren to unlock the double-big arrow in their quiver, and they need that second capable big to employ it. This is why the Thunder felt compelled to give Isaiah Hartenstein a three-year, $87 million contract last summer. Consider the Boston Celtics, who won last year's championship with a pair of big men, Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis, both of whom could shoot the 3 and anchor a defense. They could play separately or with each other, and the ability to do both is what unlocked their full potential. They survived without Porziņģis for much of last year's playoffs, but this year they ran into New York Knicks big Karl-Anthony Towns, whose ability to play as a 4 or a 5 allowed then-head coach Tom Thibodeau to toy with lineup combinations until he found one with Mitchell Robinson at center that punished the smaller Celtics. Look at the league's recent champions, and you will find someone who can flutter between the 4 and the 5 and be effective at both. As we saw again this season, Aaron Gordon could play alongside Nikola Jokić or spell him at the 5 for the Denver Nuggets. Draymond Green was the original "Every Team Needs A Version of This Guy" for the Golden State Warriors. He played with Kevon Looney or without. Advertisement Look at the standings, too. Every good team has someone like Holmgren (i.e., Evan Mobley of the 64-win Cleveland Cavaliers). Every bad team does not (the Washington Wizards, for example, hope Alex Sarr can become him). Every middling team wishes its version of Holmgren was as good as he is. (Imagine, for a moment, if you swapped Isaiah Stewart for Holmgren and what the Detroit Pistons might look like.) Think of the Houston Rockets. They boasted both Alperen Şengün and Steven Adams, either of whom could man the center position and neither of whom was best positioned to play power forward. While they enjoyed some success as a double-big combination, the Rockets rarely trusted them, because they lacked versatility on defense and shrunk the floor on offense. It made them susceptible to the first-round loss they suffered against the Warriors, who practically invented this concept of an ultra-versatile big. Think of the Chicago Bulls, who feature Nikola Vučević. He can shoot but cannot defend the rim. Think of the Atlanta Hawks, whose bigs can defend the rim but cannot shoot. You can get paid handsomely to do one or the other, but can you win on the highest level? Not if the most recent champions are indicators. It is not a novel concept to consider that every team needs a Chet Holmgren or someone who can do a bit of everything in the frontcourt. But it may be a necessary one if you hope to win the championship.
New York Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Thunder fall flat and let golden opportunity slip vs. Nuggets: ‘They went and got the game'
DENVER — The celebrations began before the final buzzer had even sounded, Nuggets players hugging and congratulating each other on a job well done, a series extended and a season saved. At the opposite end of the court, a thick layer of melancholy was present. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault ducked under the tunnel, fidgeting with his fingers as if he was attempting to draw up a play that would alleviate his team's collective pain. One by one, the players headed for the locker room, their heads looking at the ground — all while the boos from Ball Arena rained down upon them. Advertisement And for as much optimism as the locker room portrayed after the fact, there was no escaping the reality that Oklahoma City had let a golden opportunity slip. On Thursday night, the Thunder had a chance — several chances, to be honest — to put the Nuggets away. To avoid the tension and nervousness that can come with a Game 7. To advance to its first conference finals in nearly a decade. They didn't. 'I thought we played a really good first half,' Daigneault said following Oklahoma City's 119-107 loss in Game 6. 'To weather the early storm the way we did and only be down three at the end of the first quarter, it was positive. We obviously took control of the game in the second (quarter), which was positive. And then they just outplayed us in the second half. They were sharper, executed better, made more plays. Credit them, they went and got the game.' Final from Denver — OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) May 16, 2025 In Game 6, the Nuggets, already playing a short rotation, finally decided to impose their will physically on a young Thunder team. In truth, the sublime, high-efficiency nights from both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (30 points on 11-for-16 shooting) and Nikola Jokić (29 points on 9-for-14 shooting) felt almost secondary, with role players like Christian Braun and Julian Strawther stepping up when the lights were brightest. Denver decided to force the issue, consistently attacking the teeth of Oklahoma City's defense and putting the onus on the officials to make calls — who finished the game taking twice as many free throws as their counterparts, 32 to 16. The Thunder also failed to establish a strong footing on the glass, allowing the Nuggets to dominate 52 to 40 in that department — including an impressive 23 second-chance points on 11 offensive rebounds. Advertisement 'They threw a punch tonight, as it's happened in this series,' said Daigneault. 'Both teams are exchanging blows and they got theirs in tonight.' If there was one word to describe the Thunder's offensive process — and honestly their approach defensively at times — it was flat. According to Cleaning the Glass, their 92.0 points per 100 halfcourt plays ranked in just the 33rd percentile of postseason performances — well below their standard. And it wasn't that they coughed the ball up a ton (just 11 turnovers) or had poor shot quality (the operative word tonight was their 'process'), but a team which typically outworked teams just looked lethargic. Fatigue, while a very real aspect of professional sports and everyday life, can't be cited as an excuse. Denver is going through the same thing, are playing less guys on a nightly basis and are older. It just felt like the Nuggets wanted it more, which is a precarious position to be in, even for a Thunder team that has achieved so much this season. There's no one-size-fits-all in Game 7s. Sunday night in Oklahoma City will be the most high-pressured situation any of these players have been in, against an experienced, battle-tested group. There was a moment during Daigneault's postgame news conference — where he admitted that Denver had outplayed them for most of the series outside of two fourth quarter stretches — that spoke volumes. It's clear that the Nuggets' primary focus is neutralizing Gilgeous-Alexander's scoring threat, throwing a mixture of pressure-filled zones his way and forcing someone else to shoulder the load. The issue is that Jalen Williams, SGA's running mate from October and an All-Star, is struggling. After averaging nearly 22 points per game during the regular season, Williams has failed to crack 20 points five times this series alone. In Game 5, Williams had his worst scoring outing, finishing with just six points on 3-for-16 shooting. Credit to Williams, his focus in other areas has typically been his endearing factor and on Thursday, he recorded seven rebounds, three steals, a block and 10 assists. And Williams is typically hard on himself, lingering on the bench after the final buzzer to reflect on his less-than-stellar offensive performance. But there's a balance between Williams the creator and Williams the scorer that he and the Thunder need to rediscover, quickly. Advertisement 'I think I got to spots I want to get to and they didn't go in, that's just how basketball works. I think I had a good process of what I was doing. I just hurt us tonight not making shots.' Over the next 48 hours, the Thunder will have the chance to get back in the film room and identify exactly what went wrong in Game 6. There are some avoidable, simple mistakes that cost them — early foul trouble has a unique way of interrupting rhythm and flow, boxing out and not being overpowered by a team that is neck and neck in the rebounding department for the postseason — those are good places to start. At one point in the first half, the Thunder had successfully erased a double-digit deficit and built one of their own, before slowly losing control. The back-and-forth nature of this series almost makes a Game 7 a deserving, fitting end to this matchup. 'It's going to be very fun,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'The highest intensity basketball you ever play. But at the same time, it's still just basketball. Have fun, play free and let the chips fall where they may.' But Oklahoma City needs to play with the same desperation Denver showed in Game 6, if not exponentially more. Paycom Center is an electric, vibrant building that is a culture in itself and its warmth will uplift a Thunder team looking for advantages. And truth be told, this is a team that won 68 games during the regular season — there aren't a plethora of errors for them to address. This series, at least from one angle, can be boiled down to the Nuggets' zone effectively daring the Thunder to outshoot them and that gamble has paid off, with Oklahoma City shooting just 27.5 and 24.4 percent from 3 in two of their last three games. Making open shots, as cliche as it sounds, will go a long way to settling their nerves and spirits. 'Huge,' Lu Dort told The Athletic about the importance of a home crowd and camaraderie in an elimination game. 'The togetherness that we have on our team is crazy. You can see in this locker room, even after a loss like that, everyone's head is down — and still we have that same vibe we've had the whole season. We have to regroup, watch film, get better and see what we can do for Game 7.' (Photo of Thunder guard Alex Caruso: Isaiah J. Downing/Imagn Images)
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Jimmy Butler gives Warriors reason to believe with Stephen Curry sidelined
The Golden State Warriors must do what they have not been able to over the past 15 years: Win without Stephen Curry, who suffered a strain of his left hamstring in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series. The Warriors rallied around his absence, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in their series opener, 99-88, thanks to a collective effort. The Wolves will host Game 2 on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT. Curry will be reevaluated in a week's time, which puts his availability for Wednesday's Game 5 in jeopardy. Game 6 is not scheduled until May 18, a dozen days removed from the injury. The average absence for a Grade 1 strain, which is what Curry has, is roughly 10 days, according to Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes. In all likelihood Golden State will have to win at least once without Curry — a tall task. The Warriors are 659-367 when Curry is in the lineup over the course of his career, a .642 winning percentage. They are 91-152, a .374 winning percentage, when he is out. That is the difference between a 53-win team and a 31-win team, and in case you had not heard 31-win teams do not often win in the second round of the playoffs. So how do the Warriors go about winning, even once? Jimmy Butler. The Warriors, as ever, were outscored whenever Curry was off the floor this season — until Butler arrived at the trade deadline. Their -2.9 net rating when Curry was on the bench improved by 8.4 points per 100 possessions as soon as Butler arrived. When Butler was on the court without Curry, Golden State outscored opponents by 12.8 points per 100 possessions, excluding garbage time, per Cleaning the Glass. That, my friends, is reason to believe. There is, of course, a difference between outscoring an opponent's reserve unit whenever Curry is resting during the regular season and outscoring a full rotation in his absence for the entirety of a playoff game. As Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said of the remnants of his dynastic team, "He's like Tim Duncan in San Antonio, Michael Jordan in Chicago. None of it happens without Steph. And everybody knows that." But! It is not just coincidence that the Warriors have been able to survive their minutes without Curry in the Butler era. The 35-year-old wing is that good. NBA coaches talk a lot about the margins — turnovers and free throws, specifically; the little things that can win or lose games — and Butler was born in them, molded by them on the Miami Heat, who make it their life's mission to bend those margins in their favor. Consider: • Butler has logged 37 assists against four turnovers in these playoffs, a 9.25 assist-to-turnover ratio that ranks first among anyone who has played at least 20 minutes per game. The Warriors record more assists and fewer turnovers whenever Butler is on the floor — regardless of whether or not Curry is available. • Likewise, no one has more playoff steals than Butler in the past five years. It is not close. He owns the all-important possession game, maximizing his team's chances while limiting his opponent's opportunities. • Within those possessions Butler is doing even more, drawing fouls and not committing them. The Warriors are attempting 6.5 more free throws per 100 possessions when Butler is on the floor, according to Cleaning the Glass. Similarly, Golden State's opponents are shooting 6.7 fewer free throws per 100 possessions when Butler is in the game. That is a wild swing in the margins, as much as 13.2 points per game. • Butler is also fully capable of being an offensive hub, though we do not think of him as one. He led the Heat to a pair of NBA Finals appearances, after all, scoring as many as 56 points in a playoff game against the Milwaukee Bucks. He has scored 40 or more points in a game on eight occasions, all in the last five years. In fact, when Butler attempts 25 or more field goals in a playoff game, his teams are 9-0. Again: Belief. That is all the Warriors need to win a second game in this series. After all, as Kerr said of the playoffs, "It generally comes down to the energy, the spirit, how hard you play, and then stepping up and making some shots." Who brings more energy, more spirit; who plays harder than Butler? It is the foundation upon which his career has been built — from JUCO to the 30th overall pick and now NBA superstardom. It is remarkable that we are here in Jimmy Butler's Moment, again, in this of all seasons. He abandoned the Heat, believing they no longer had a chance to contend, only to find himself in Golden State, where without Curry their only chance of contention is to do what Miami did for so long: Ride Jimmy Butler.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Jimmy Butler gives Warriors reason to believe with Stephen Curry sidelined
The Golden State Warriors must do what they have not been able to over the past 15 years: Win without Stephen Curry, who suffered a strain of his left hamstring in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series. The Warriors rallied around his absence, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in their series opener, 99-88, thanks to a collective effort. The Wolves will host Game 2 on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT. Advertisement Curry will be reevaluated in a week's time, which puts his availability for Wednesday's Game 5 in jeopardy. Game 6 is not scheduled until May 18, a dozen days removed from the injury. The average absence for a Grade 1 strain, which is what Curry has, is roughly 10 days, according to Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes. In all likelihood Golden State will have to win at least once without Curry — a tall task. The Warriors are 659-367 when Curry is in the lineup over the course of his career, a .642 winning percentage. They are 91-152, a .374 winning percentage, when he is out. That is the difference between a 53-win team and a 31-win team, and in case you had not heard 31-win teams do not often win in the second round of the playoffs. So how do the Warriors go about winning, even once? Jimmy Butler. The Warriors, as ever, were outscored whenever Curry was off the floor this season — until Butler arrived at the trade deadline. Their -2.9 net rating when Curry was on the bench improved by 8.4 points per 100 possessions as soon as Butler arrived. When Butler was on the court without Curry, Golden State outscored opponents by 12.8 points per 100 possessions, excluding garbage time, per Cleaning the Glass. Advertisement That, my friends, is reason to believe. There is, of course, a difference between outscoring an opponent's reserve unit whenever Curry is resting during the regular season and outscoring a full rotation in his absence for the entirety of a playoff game. As Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said of the remnants of his dynastic team, "He's like Tim Duncan in San Antonio, Michael Jordan in Chicago. None of it happens without Steph. And everybody knows that." But! It is not just coincidence that the Warriors have been able to survive their minutes without Curry in the Butler era. The 35-year-old wing is that good. NBA coaches talk a lot about the margins — turnovers and free throws, specifically; the little things that can win or lose games — and Butler was born in them, molded by them on the Miami Heat, who make it their life's mission to bend those margins in their favor. Consider: Advertisement • Butler has logged 37 assists against four turnovers in these playoffs, a 9.25 assist-to-turnover ratio that ranks first among anyone who has played at least 20 minutes per game. The Warriors record more assists and fewer turnovers whenever Butler is on the floor — regardless of whether or not Curry is available. • Likewise, no one has more playoff steals than Butler in the past five years. It is not close. He owns the all-important possession game, maximizing his team's chances while limiting his opponent's opportunities. • Within those possessions Butler is doing even more, drawing fouls and not committing them. The Warriors are attempting 6.5 more free throws per 100 possessions when Butler is on the floor, according to Cleaning the Glass. Similarly, Golden State's opponents are shooting 6.7 fewer free throws per 100 possessions when Butler is in the game. That is a wild swing in the margins, as much as 13.2 points per game. • Butler is also fully capable of being an offensive hub, though we do not think of him as one. He led the Heat to a pair of NBA Finals appearances, after all, scoring as many as 56 points in a playoff game against the Milwaukee Bucks. He has scored 40 or more points in a game on eight occasions, all in the last five years. Advertisement In fact, when Butler attempts 25 or more field goals in a playoff game, his teams are 9-0. Again: Belief. That is all the Warriors need to win a second game in this series. After all, as Kerr said of the playoffs, "It generally comes down to the energy, the spirit, how hard you play, and then stepping up and making some shots." Who brings more energy, more spirit; who plays harder than Butler? It is the foundation upon which his career has been built — from JUCO to the 30th overall pick and now NBA superstardom. It is remarkable that we are here in Jimmy Butler's Moment, again, in this of all seasons. He abandoned the Heat, believing they no longer had a chance to contend, only to find himself in Golden State, where without Curry their only chance of contention is to do what Miami did for so long: Ride Jimmy Butler.
