Oklahoma City’s opening week is complete after a couple of wins, and its star big was key in moving to 2-0. 

On Thursday night, the Thunder played their home opener, defeating the Denver Nuggets 96-84. After winning the season series 3-1 last season, the Thunder opened with a win against their division rivals on a bit of an ugly night. 

Throughout the contest, both teams struggled to get going, but a defensive battle typically swings in the Thunder’s favor, and that was no different against Denver. Holding the Nuggets to a 37.8% night from the floor, Oklahoma City was active defensively all night. 

While everyone who stepped on the floor for the Thunder made an impact on that end, it’s no surprise that Chet Holmgren was leading the way in that aspect. Helping hold Nikola Jokic to 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting, to go with seven rebounds and five assists, Holmgren’s presence down low was massive for the Thunder. 

He finished the night with 12 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks, including the highlight of the night. In the third quarter, as Oklahoma City was finally beginning to break through, Holmgren blocked Christian Braun’s dunk attempt, leading to a Jalen Williams alley-oop slam on the other end to ignite the Paycom Center crowd. 

Finishing the night shooting 5-of-9, with all of his buckets coming right at the rim, Holmgren’s interior presence was on display on both ends. With the Thunder playing four big men throughout the night, Holmgren’s 27 minutes led the way for that group, and his +12 mark helped showcase his impact. 

While Holmgren’s 17 rebounds are impressive on their own, he was especially impressive on the offensive glass. Coming down with nine offensive rebounds to shatter his previous career high of five, Holmgren was instrumental in giving the Thunder second-chance opportunities all night, with the team converting for 17 second-chance points. 

After putting together a complete performance in San Antonio on opening night, Holmgren has tipped off his fourth season about as well as the Thunder could’ve hoped. Despite a summer filled with criticism, Holmgren’s teammates never wavered in saying they don’t have to worry about his competitiveness, and that’s been on full display across Oklahoma City’s first 96 minutes of action.

There’s a lot of season left for Holmgren and the Thunder, but if his game against Denver is any indication, he could be in for another career year.