Thunder’s Chet Holmgren gets All-Star praise from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The Oklahoma City Thunder are currently sitting on top of the NBA world, and according to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, it is no fluke. Following a dominant 111-91 victory over the Houston Rockets on Thursday night, the Thunder superstar made one thing clear, Chet Holmgren belongs in the All-Star Game.

“Chet is most definitely an All-Star,” Gilgeous-Alexander told reporters. “From the moment he stepped foot on the court with the basketball team, we’ve been #1 in the West. That’s no coincidence.”

Holmgren certainly looked the part of an All-Star against Houston. The 7-foot-1 phenom set the tone early at the Toyota Center, scoring 11 of the Thunder’s first 21 points. He was a model of efficiency, finishing the night with 18 points on an incredibly crisp 7-of-9 shooting from the field.

But as is usually the case with Holmgren, his impact stretched far beyond the scoring column. He anchored a defense that held the Rockets to a miserable 33.7% shooting night, tallying nine rebounds and four blocks. His ability to protect the rim while stretching the floor, hitting 2-of-3 from deep, has become the X-factor for the league-leading Thunder.

The game remained tight through three quarters, but the Oklahoma City Thunder flexed their muscles in the final frame. Led by Gilgeous-Alexander’s 20 points and a massive bench spark from Cason Wallace (17 points), OKC outscored Houston 34-16 in the fourth quarter.

The Rockets, led by Kevin Durant’s 19 points, simply couldn’t keep pace as the Thunder ignited a 14-0 run to put the game on ice. With a 35-7 record, the Thunder aren’t just a “spooky” young team anymore; they are the gold standard of the Western Conference. And if you ask their leading man, it’s time to start printing Holmgren’s All-Star jersey.

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