Chet Holmgren Continues to Raise OKC Thunder's Ceiling on Season

How far can the Oklahoma City Thunder go this season?

The Oklahoma City Thunder has officially passed the Phil Jackson 40-before-20 rule. They have a 40-17 record as they're tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. 

To help their case in the standings, the Thunder is currently on a five-game winning streak. They're 8-2 in their last ten games. Coming out of the All-Star break, the Thunder has won three straight games, and improved play from Chet Holmgren is playing a big part in the team doing so.

Since the break, Holmgren has been playing with fresh legs, and it's showing in the box score. He's scored 23.7 points per game over the course of the three games. Last night, against the Houston Rockets, Holmgren scored 29 points, adding eight rebounds, seven assists and three blocks as he helped mount a comeback for the Thunder and eventually win the game. 

Before the Rockets matchup, Holmgren scored 25 points in 23 minutes while shooting 11-of-14 from the field in an incredibly efficient matchup. 

A big part of what makes Holmgren's impact offensively felt that much more is his shot selection. He's very selective and takes high-quality shots rather than settling for bad looks.

"Just because you hit a few shots now to take a bad shot. The goal at the end of the day is still to get the best look," Holmgren said after the win in Houston on Sunday. "For me to hit something and take low percentage shot just because I hit a couple, that got us going in the wrong direction."

Something that has been evident all season long, and more now than at any point this season, is that Holmgren is a winner. That's the only thing he's concerned with at this point in the season, and he's complimenting Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander perfectly.

Not only does Holmgren fit seamlessly on the offensive side of the ball, but his defensive versatility helps give the team an identity on both sides of the ball. His defensive net rating on the season is 109.7, according to StatsDrone. The way he deters opposing offenses away from the rim completely. 

While helping the team not only establish but play into its identity, which will help the team when it comes to postseason basketball. If the team is to win a playoff series, which would be considered a massive victory in their first season being a competitive club, it'll be because of the team's defensive prowess, which has benefited a ton from Holmgren's presence on the floor.

---

Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Come Back Kids Routine Helps Solidify Contender Status

Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.