OKC Thunder Bench Boss Discusses Chet Holmgren's First Two Games

The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the Miami Heat on Wednesday with Chet Holmgren sidelined due to rest. Mark Daigneault gave his early impressions on Holmgren prior to tip-off of this tilt.

Feb 7, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) moves the ball against Toronto Raptors guard JaKobe Walter (14) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Chet Holmgren returned from his hip fracture faster than anyone - even the team's timeline - thought he would. After splattering on the floor on Nov. 10 against the Golden State Warriors, the Thunder rising star is already back in the lineup playing two games since Feb. 7 when he was rolled out against the Toronto Raptors.

Holmgren sat out the next game due to rest on the second night of a back to back before a statement game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday where he showed his elite defensive tools in swatting five shots and picking up a steal to couple with 12 points and six rebounds.

Regardless, the Gonzaga product will be under a microscope for the rest of the season, as he has been his entire life, and as he rests on the front-end of a back-to-back against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault was asked about his first impressions of the seven-footer's return.

“The games are like the next stage of his return to performance. He's not like where he's going to be and he's not where he was conditioning wise, endurance wise. He just went through a big time injury and came back on a very impressive pace because the work he put it in, the way his body responded, but he's exactly where he should be. He’s probably a little bit sore, not the hip, but just like his legs from coming back and playing games. But he's responding exactly the way that we would hope. He's playing the way we would hope. Looks good out there for a guy that hasn't played for months," Daigneault said.

The Thunder play one more game before letting out for the NBA All-Star Break, the second leg of this back-to-back taking place in Holmgren's home state of Minnesota against the Timberwolves. With the center in street clothes tonight due to rest, there is a chance he gets his third game in before the seven-day stoppage.

Holmgren's return comes at a near perfect time for Oklahoma City as he will have at least two games under his belt and a mini-training camp during the All-Star break to continue his return to performance as the Thunder bench boss puts it.

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