Chet Holmgren Needs Outside Shot For OKC Thunder’s Two Big Man Lineup to Work

Chet Holmgren’s long range shot will be a crucial aspect of the team’s two center lineup.

Oct 24, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) shoots the ball in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City dominated Denver in the season opener with stifling defense and control of the game. The Thunder exposed Denver’s bench and proved that the preseason hype was warranted. The scariest part? Oklahoma City didn’t even play close to its best game.

For starters, the team is still missing Isaiah Hartenstein with a hand injury. The big man received one of the biggest contracts of the offseason and will certainly be a huge piece in the Thunder’s nucleus. 

In addition to bad injury luck, Oklahoma City shot just 8-of-36 from 3-point range. Of course it’s just a one game sample, but it’s an alarming number for a team that was the best shooting outside squad in the league a season ago. It’ll certainly improve as the season goes on — most looks were open. But Chet Holmgren’s outside shot specifically is important for the Thunder to be able to do what they want to do.

Holmgren had an incredible game, looking like a potential All-Star breakout season is on the horizon. The one downside to his performance was going 0-of-5 from 3-point range. 

His shot looked shaky in the preseason, too. We’ve seen Holmgren shoot at a high clip, but now he needs to put it together with consistency. He hit a big slump towards the end of last season, bringing his percentage to 37% on the season.

For the Thunder to run the unique double big man lineup with Holmgren and Hartenstein, Holmgren’s outside stroke must resurface. It’s a lineup that’s highly anticipated for Thunder fans, and gives Oklahoma City a huge advantage down low. As Hartenstein isn’t known for his 3-point shooting, though, Holmgren will have to be able to space the floor. 

There’s no reason to panic yet — Holmgren has proven to be a good shooter. But for the Thunder to maximize the double big lineup and create an advantage on both ends of the floor, his 3-point shot is crucial.

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