Rockets Head Coach Ime Udoka Explains How Tough It Is To Defend Chet Holmgren

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen Chet Holmgren redefine their ceiling, in large part due to how difficult it is to defend the rookie. Rockets head coach Ime Udoka highlighted that.

Throughout this season, the OKC Thunder have owned one of the best offenses in the NBA, culminating in the team being in the top three in points per game, offensive rating, half-court offense, and dominating in transition. 

A large part of the team's offensive leap has been the addition of 7-foot rookie center Chet Holmgren. Following last season, Holmgren wisely noted during his exit interview how close this team was to being very competitive. 

"We're winning games at the buzzer, we're losing games at the buzzer," Holmgren said to the media. "We're winning by four points, losing by four points. It's not like we're losing every game by 30 points. I don't have to come in here and be Superman. I just have to figure out how to help make this team five points better and keep building from there." 

The Gonzaga product has done just that, after missing the entire 2022-23 season with a Lisfranc fracture, Holmgren has been a massive contributor to the Thunder's offensive improvement. 

Oklahoma City has already matched last season's win total (40) and reached that mark before dropping 20 games, solidifying their bid as contenders this season.

Holmgren took over the game in their latest win over the Houston Rockets, flipping the script after seeing Oklahoma City get down by as many as 16 points.

After turning in seven points, four rebounds, as many assists, a steal, and a block in the first half, the second overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft exploded for 22 points after intermission to go along with four rebounds, three assists, and two blocks while shooting 4-for-5 from beyond the arc in the second half alone. 

The Unicorn big man presents a matchup nightmare for the opposition. As a player who can run the floor well, playmake, nail shots, pick-and-pop, dive to the rim, play off the catch, and clean up put backs, Holmgren always has to be accounted for.

There is rarely going to be a center in the league that can match up with Holmgren. A slow-footed big man can not stay in front of the Gonzaga product on the perimeter at the top of the key or slot where he typically sets up. 

Playing too far up on the big man, and he will exploit a heavy-legged five off the dribble, but gear up for the drive, and Holmgren will pop a three, shooting 40 percent from 3-point land. 

This leads to opposing teams being forced to put their big man on one of the other four players on the floor with Holmgren to give them a chance at containing the Thunder's starting center. However, under that circumstance, you often give up too much size, allowing Holmgren to get into the paint or shoot over the top of a smaller defender. 

Holmgren presents a pick-your-poison dilemma for the opposition, forcing them to cross-match instead of playing Oklahoma City straight up. Something OKC's opponents have leaned into doing regardless of who is surrounding Holmgren.

"[Chet Holmgren] hurts [Alperen Sengun] with his pick-and-pop ability; for the most part, [Alperen Sengun] was not on [Holmgren] that much," Rockets Head Coach Ime Udoka said following Sunday's game. "We had him on different matchups. Trying to switch a lot. What we did well in the first meeting against [Oklahoma City] was take away [Chet Holmgren's] pick-and-pops with the switching. [Oklahoma City] tried to go small, and it put [Sengun] in a tough position. Just getting lost off-ball a few times...For the most part, as much as we can, we try to keep [Alperen Sengun] off [Chet Holmgren]."

An opposing bench boss openly admitting the goal is to not let their center matchup with the opposing center due to the advantage Holmgren creates against big men sheds light into why you see this strategy deployed against the Bricktown boys.

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