Thunder’s Chet Holmgren cites injury hurdles while shaking off Game 1 blunder

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault had confidence in Chet Holmgren bouncing back from missing clutch free throws in Game 1’s 121-119 loss against the Denver Nuggets. Daigneault’s entire team responded in one form or another en route to a historic 149-106 thrashing to tie the Western Conference semifinal series 1-1. Still, after the win, Holmgren reflected on the series opener, while putting it into perspective.

For a seven-footer who’s experienced a series of setbacks throughout his career. From sitting out his 2023-24 rookie campaign due to a foot injury to missing 50 regular-season games to a hip injury this season, Holmgren has faced devastating hurdles amidst the beginning chapter of a promising NBA career.

“I had five screws and a plate put in my foot. Shattered my hip in basically six places, and I was thinking about it. If I can pick one of those three, missing a couple of free throws is the least of your worries,” Holmgren said. “Obviously, it hurts knowing what was on the line. In a playoff game, you never want to lose. But you also can’t be afraid to fail.”

Holmgren has been through the good and the bad in critical late-game situations.

“I’ve been on both sides of it. Hit big free throws to go into overtime. I’ve hit game winners,” Holmgren added. “I’ve missed game winners. Obviously, I’ve missed clutch free throws, too. It’s all part of it. I didn’t spend too much time on social media the past couple of days. But I’m sure I was getting ripped pretty hard. Just understanding that it’s all part of it.”