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In an NBA Finals series that features two towering bigs in Indiana Pacers All-Star Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren revealed the keys to limiting the starting center's production. After Draymond Green debated Holmgren's importance to the Thunder in contrast to Alex Caruso, Holmgren discussed what goes into limiting Turner. The Pacers' frontcourt production is vital in these NBA Finals, and Myles is a big part of that.
Finishing with 15 and 16 points on 50% shooting, while averaging 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in Games 1 and 2, Turner's approach is critical for the Pacers to potentially grab a 2-1 lead in Game 3. In hopes of avoiding that, Holmgren discussed what goes into trying to combat Turner from having a breakout game in the NBA Finals.
“I'd say the biggest key is understanding what they're trying to accomplish as a team and then understanding what we're trying to accomplish as a team. Then, from there, you can try to break it down to situations where you need to understand what he's trying to do, and then you're trying to counter that,” Holmgren said. “Obviously, he's a skilled player. He can step out and shoot it. He can put the ball on the floor a little bit and make some scoring plays.
“So, you just have to understand what his tendencies are and try to take those away,” Holmgren concluded.
In Game 3, Holmgren and the Thunder are entering their first NBA Finals road game against Myles Turner and the Pacers on Wednesday.
How Game 1's loss impacted Chet Holmgren, Thunder's approach
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After blowing a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead in a one-point loss (111-110) in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Thunder forward Chet Holmgren bounced back in Game 2 with a 123-107 win in Game 2. After a six-point and six-rebound performance in the series opener, Holmgren admitted his abysmal NBA Finals debut motivated him ahead of Sunday's win.
“I wasn't happy with the way that I had play in that game and I wasn't happy with the fact that we had lost the game, obviously,” Holmgren said. “I just tried to take that emotional feeling, I guess, and not let it kind of blow up into something that was detrimental to me going forward. And then, just look at where I could be better, and try to go out there in Game 2, and be better, understanding that it's a series. You have to try go get better as the series goes on, whether you played good or bad.”
Holmgren finished with 15 points on 6-of-11 attempts, six rebounds, and one block in Game 2.
