The Oklahoma City Thunder faced off with the L.A. Lakers on Thursday, and despite being on the second leg of a road-road back-to-back to wrap up a four-game road trip, the Lakers played both Anthony Davis and LeBron James. This gave OKC Thunder fans their first look at Chet Holmgren matching up with one of the best big men in the NBA.
Through three quarters, Chet Holmgren was already able to post 16 points, shooting 63 percent from the floor, 2-for-5 from beyond the arc, three rebounds, two steals, and a +17 in the game. He played a massive part in the OKC Thunder swelling their lead to 20 points in the third frame.
OKC Thunder fans react to Chet Holmgren's first matchup against Superstar big man Anthony Davis.
Chet Holmgren was able to pull off moves that resemble the likes of Hall of Famers, not even a quarter of the way through his rookie season. This game saw Holmgren blend more ball-handling into his scoring portfolio and it really unlocked the Thunder's offense.
On the defensive end, Holmgren was able to provide some great contests on Davis, though there is a reason the Kentucky product is viewed as an MVP caliber player. Davis finished with 31 points and 14 rebounds.
Sheesh this dude coming for smoke Respect https://t.co/XSZe5rq9tx
— kuz (@kylekuzma) December 1, 2023
I mean, this is crazy lol
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) December 1, 2023
pic.twitter.com/YGXxUbB7EY
Through three frames, the Thunder leads the Lakers 108-88. SGA and Chet continue to be a fun, hard to stop duo. So much talent and buy-in from the entire squad has led to a 20-point lead
— Kade Kimble (@kadekimble) December 1, 2023
Welcome to the Chet Holmgren Experience AD.
— sublime50 (@sublime50illus1) December 1, 2023
Chet Holmgren picks LeBron's pocket from behind and finishes with a finger roll at the other end.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) December 1, 2023
Followed by an Isaiah Joe 3.
Getting loud in OKC tonight.
We're getting the Chet mid range showcase tonight pic.twitter.com/OffJUEtZ72
— AlexHoops (@AlexHoops_) December 1, 2023
Chet Holmgren takes the first W in game 1 versus Anthony Davis in their first matchup.
— Michael Martin (@MichaelOnSports) December 1, 2023
Chet:
18 points
5 rebounds
2 steals
8/15 shooting
AD:
31 points
14 rebounds
2 steals
2 assists
11/18 shooting
pic.twitter.com/ww5ZFLJYut
Right when you least expect it ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/asJlpkCgIl
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 1, 2023
Holmgren ended with 18 points, five rebounds, an assist, and two steals. The Gonzaga product shot 53 percent from the floor despite going 1-for-6 from beyond the arc in 28 minutes.
The Gonzaga product was key to the OKC Thunder pulling off a dominating 133-110 win over the L.A. Lakers. This snapped a two-game losing streak for the Oklahoma City Thunder and sets the table for their meeting in Dallas against the Mavericks, where offense looks to be a premium.
For full-season coverage, check back to Thunderous Intentions all year long, including postgame grades and takeaways from this matchup.