Chet Holmgren

If the Memphis Grizzlies thought Chet Holmgren’s competitive fire was difficult to withstand with a 29-point deficit in Game Three, they could at least be comforted in knowing it was equally noteworthy with 18-point leads in Game Two. Ambitious enough to leave one assuming the Oklahoma City Thunder were in a “win-or-go-home” situation — even with victory guaranteed in the final minute-and-a-half — Holmgren patrols until the final second, sniffing out Santi Aldama’s goal of an easy transition bucket. Like windshield wipers to a raindrop, Holmgren erases the layup attempt from behind, putting exclamation to a dominant two-game postseason open. No. 1 across the entire first round in rejections per game (2.8), Holmgren again a tonesetter, holding the league’s second-ranked scoring offense to a sub-100-point total in back-to-back matchups. Holmgren’s dynamic two-way performance encouraged a 20-point, 11-rebound, five-block masterclass, allowing him to become NBA history’s fifth-ever player to record said statline at age 23 or younger.

Championship Year