Chet Holmgren joins elite company with another historic NBA playoff performance

The only other players in NBA history who have accomplished what Chet Holmgren has done so far in the 2024 NBA Playoffs as a rookie is short and prestigious.

After finishing with 18 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s come-from-behind victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals on Monday, Holmgren became the fourth rookie in NBA history to total over 120 points, 60 rebounds and 20 blocks in their first eight career postseason games. The former Gonzaga standout is joined on that short list by David Robinson, Alonzo Mourning and Tim Duncan. Three hall-of-famers who combined for eight NBA championships, three NBA MVP awards and three NBA Defensive Player of the Year trophies.

That’s quite the company to be a part of for Holmgren, who seemingly rewrites history every time he takes the floor this postseason. In Game 1 against Dallas last week, he became the first rookie to put up the specific statline of 19 points, seven rebounds, two steals, three blocks and make two 3-pointers. At the same time, he set the OKC franchise record for most points scored by a rookie in a single postseason, a total he’ll continue to add to as the Thunder sit two games away from advancing to the Western Conference Finals.

Holmgren secured OKC’s victory in Game 4, despite it trailing by as many as 14 points, after the 7-foot-1 post nailed a pair of free-throws to make it 98-95 with 9.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter. The Thunder intentionally fouled Dallas’ PJ Washington to prevent a potential game-tying 3-pointer on the final possession of regulation. Washington made the second attempt at the charity stripe, only for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to go 2-for-2 on the next trip down.

Earlier in the fourth, Holmgren put OKC out in front for the first time since the first quarter after he drilled a 3-pointer from the corner to make it an 89-86 game with 3:24 to go. 

Still, all the Minnesota native could really think about postgame was the free throw he missed in the second quarter (OKC went 23-for-24 at the charity stripe as a team).

“Damn, I missed the only one?” Holmgren asked after being informed of OKC’s shooting clip at the free throw line. “If I make that free throw earlier on in the game it’s a whole different story too, so those are extremely important.”

Holmgren wasn’t ready to label his two free throws at the end of Game 4 as the “most important” foul shots he’s ever made in his basketball career, but given the circumstances, he put them No. 2 behind the three free throws he made at the end of regulation to force overtime against the Golden State Warriors earlier this season.

Monday was a different situation entirely, though, as Holmgren’s fundamentals helped OKC avoid a 3-1 hole against Luka Doncic and the Mavs. Now the Thunder are in a position to advance to the conference finals for the first time since 2016 if they can win two of the next three games against Dallas.

Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals is Wednesday at 6:30 pm PST.