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Chet Holmgren stats today: Thunder big man bounces back with stellar first half in NBA Finals Game 2

Dan Treacy

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Chet Holmgren stats today: Thunder big man bounces back with stellar first half in NBA Finals Game 2 image

The Thunder built a team without many obvious flaws, but the struggles of big man Chet Holmgren stood out in their upset loss to the Pacers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Holmgren was held to six points in the series opener, shooting 2-of-9 from the field with six rebounds and one block. He was outplayed by Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner, who combined for 34 points and 19 rebounds in Indiana's frontcourt. 

On Sunday, Holmgren knew he needed to be better — and he answered the call.

Here's a closer look at Holmgren's stats and highlights from Sunday's Game 2 win over the Pacers.

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Chet Holmgren stats today

Final score: Thunder 123, Pacers 107

  • Points: 15
  • Rebounds: 6
  • Assists: 1
  • Steals: 0
  • Blocks: 1
  • TOs: 2
  • Fouls: 2
  • FG: 6-11
  • 3FG: 1-3
  • FT: 2-2

Holmgren posted 15 points and six rebounds in Sunday's blowout win over the Pacers, adding a block of Obi Toppin. He was much more efficient than he was in Game 1, shooting 6-of-11 from the field and even drilling a 3-pointer after a quiet night from beyond the arc on Thursday.

The first quarter was Holmgren's time to shine, as he scored nine points in the opening 12 minutes alone and helped Oklahoma City build a lead that the Pacers ultimately couldn't overcome.

Holmgren was excellent in the Western Conference Finals, averaging 18 points per game against the Timberwolves, and the Thunder went into Game 2 hoping for more of that out of the former No. 2 pick. While he quieted down after a hot start on Sunday, he helped set the tone for the franchise's first win in an NBA Finals game since 2012.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said postgame that Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein "were both really good in both situations" when it came to either one-big or two-big lineups.

MORE PACERS-THUNDER GAME 2:

Chet Holmgren Game 2 highlights 

Holmgren got all the way up to block Toppin in his signature moment of Game 2.

The Thunder carried momentum into the second quarter after a terrific closing run by Holmgren, who scored five consecutive points at the end of the first.

Holmgren jammed it down on the assist from Kenrich Williams to stretch Oklahoma City's lead to 15. This time, the Thunder held onto their big advantage.

Dan Treacy

Dan Treacy is a content producer for Sporting News, joining in 2022 after graduating from Boston University. He founded @allsportsnews on Instagram in 2012 and has written for Lineups and Yardbarker.