Chet Holmgren’s Absence Felt As Thunder Struggle To Contain Cavs’ Twin Towers

CLEVELAND — Chet Holmgren‘s absence from the lineup was glaring in Oklahoma City’s 129-122 road loss to the Cavaliers, underscoring just how critical he is to the Thunder.

The Cavs’ dominant performance in the paint, with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen combining for 46 points on 17-for-21 shooting from inside, highlighted the impact Holmgren could have had on the floor.

While Isaiah Hartenstein is a solid big man, he’s the only true center in the Thunder’s rotation aside from Holmgren. Had both Holmgren and Hartenstein been on the court together, the dynamic in the paint might have looked drastically different, potentially shifting the game in OKC’s favor.

As ESPN’s Kevin Pelton noted, though, the Thunder showed they can manage stretches without their MVP front-runner, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Midway through the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander picked up his fourth foul, and the Thunder found themselves down six.

But they fought back, tying the game by the time their star returned just under five minutes later. While the absence of their superstar is undoubtedly a challenge, Pelton points out that this could serve as a valuable learning experience for the Thunder, especially come playoff time when they will likely face similar situations.

However, as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst pointed out, the Thunder sorely missed Holmgren’s presence against Cleveland. The Cavs’ two-big lineup, with Mobley and Allen controlling the paint, gave OKC fits.

Despite Allen’s impressive recent play, including his dominance over Anthony Davis on New Year’s Eve, it was clear how much Holmgren’s size and skill would have helped OKC match up better.

The Thunder have been on an impressive 15-2 run over their last 17 games, including the NBA Cup loss to Milwaukee, but Windhorst highlights that size has been a recurring issue for them.

Luckily, the solution is already on the roster in Holmgren, who could provide the missing piece when he returns.