Why Thunder star Chet Holmgren is a major problem for the Lakers

The Lakers defensive strategy in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals was brilliant. 

Attack Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in four different ways in an attempt to choke off the oxygen of the Oklahoma City offense. By doing so, the Lakers were daring anyone else on the team to beat them. 

Chet Holmgren did. 

While the Lakers were busy blitzing, trapping, shading, swarming, and hedging the reigning MVP, Holmgren slipped through the cracks like a cool breeze under a locked door.

He finished with a team-high 24 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks. He drained two threes, and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. 

This is why it’s so difficult to beat the Thunder.

Just when you cut off the head of the snake, another head reappears and bites you. 

The Lakers made SGA look human in Game 1. They held him to 18 points—the first time he’s scored under 20 in almost a year—and forced him into a shocking seven turnovers and only three free throw attempts. Both well off his season averages. 

“We got back in transition, we matched up, and then all of a sudden we walked away from him and he got a wide open dunk,” said Lakers’ head coach J.J. Redick, when asked how Holmgren was able to slip through the cracks while the defense was locked in on SGA. “That is not something we want to do in Game 2.”

The Lakers’ Holmgren problem is something to look for in Game 2 on Thursday. 

When he and SGA are on the floor together, he gets wide-open looks when the Lakers’ big runs out to hedge the post. Oftentimes, both Deandre Ayton and Jaxon Hayes were able to force SGA into throwing the ball away, but sometimes he was quicker than they were and found a wide-open Holmgren.

When SGA sits and Holmgren remains on the floor, there’s no letdown. 

OKC’s offense doesn’t stall without their MVP, it continues on. In the non-SGA minutes in Game 1, the Thunder were plus-9 and had an offensive efficiency rating of 133.3. 

“We have to be better when Shai is not on the floor,” said Redick on Wednesday. “They play a very specific way when he is not on the floor… we need to be even if not win those minutes.”

The Lakers’ strategy on SGA is working. 

In fact, it might be their only path to upsetting OKC in the series. But to Redick’s point, when he’s not on the floor, you have to keep your foot on the gas. The Lakers need to win those minutes, not lose them by nine points. 

One way to do that is to contain Holmgren. 

That’s easier said than done, but it starts with discipline, execution, and not drifting. 

The man guarding Holmgren must stay with him at all times and not get caught drifting or ball-watching. Because that split-second of hesitation can be the difference between a stop or a wide-open dunk. 

According to Redick, containing Holmgren requires remaining physical and holding OKC to midrange jump shots. They have to continue to blitz SGA and limit his operating window, but the bigs also need to get back to Holmgren in time to stop him.

Because right now, they’re solving one problem, but creating another. 

And Holmgren is that new problem.

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