Chet Holmgren is without doubt one of the best younger large males within the NBA. In Sport 2, he proved he was one of many NBA’s best actors as properly.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s 24-year-old large man delivered essentially the most egregious flop of the playoffs up to now within the first quarter of Thursday’s 125-107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Holmgren threw himself to the bottom and grabbed his face after the referees referred to as a foul on Deandre Ayton, just for the decision to be reversed after a replay overview confirmed the foul was dedicated by Holmgren.
Chet Holmgren is not serving to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder’s repute
The Thunder have been a traditionally nice crew for the final two seasons, successful the title final 12 months and going 64-18 this 12 months whereas outscoring opponents by 11.1 factors per recreation. However they’ve additionally developed a repute as “foul retailers,” one thing opposing followers have chanted on the Thunder since their sequence with the Minnesota Timberwolves final spring.
A lot of the ire is directed at reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is without doubt one of the NBA’s finest scorers and one in all its handiest foul-drawers. However even SGA’s most excessive head snaps, arm flails and undeserved shouts of “And one!” pale compared to what Holmgren tried in opposition to Ayton.
Holmgren really fouled Ayton first by grabbing his arm and acquired referred to as for it after Lakers coach JJ Redick challenged the decision. Whereas Ayton’s arm did make contact with Holmgren’s chest, it got here nowhere close to his face. That did not cease Holmgren from mendacity on the ground and holding two palms over his mouth, maybe making an attempt to muffle his laughter.
