Chet Holmgren delivered a solid performance to help the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers 123-107 in Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals on Sunday night. This prompted praise from head coach Mark Daigneault.
In 28 minutes of action, Holmgren finished with 15 points, six rebounds, an assist, and a block. He shot 6-of-11 from the field, including 1-of-3 from beyond the arc, and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.
Daigneault reflected on the team’s win after the game, per team reporter Brandon Rahbar. At one point during the postgame press conference, he praised Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein for being the defensive anchors they needed to be for the Thunder.
“They both gave us huge lifts..They both were great. Chet in particular…rose back up,” Daigneault said.
What’s next for Chet Holmgren, Thunder
Mark Daigneault and the Thunder refused to go down 2-0 in the series, dominating the Pacers from start to finish in Game 2. Chet Holmgren bouncing back from his Game 1 struggles was a major sign of that.
In Game 1, Holmgren had a rough night to begin his journey in the NBA Finals. He only had six points and six rebounds as he only played 24 minutes. For him to respond with solid plays on both sides of the ball proved that he is capable of staying on the court for long periods of time despite only playing two seasons throughout his career since 2022.
The Thunder grew their lead to be as big as 23 points, making it clear to the Pacers that this series won’t go in their favor that easily. They also were aggressive in getting to the line, making 29 of their 33 attempts at the stripe. With the win, it marks the franchise’s first since Game 1 of the 2012 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat.
Five players scored in double-digits on Oklahoma City’s behalf, including Holmgren. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 34 points, eight assists, five rebounds, four steals, and a block. He shot 11-of-21 from the field, including 1-of-4 from beyond the arc, and 11-of-12 from the charity stripe. Alex Caruso came next with 20 points and three rebounds off the bench, Jalen Williams had 19 points and five rebounds, while Aaron Wiggins had 18 points and four rebounds.
The Thunder will look to take a 2-1 series lead when they face the Pacers in Game 3. The contest will take place on June 11 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
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