Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault hasn’t misplaced confidence in struggling stars Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams forward of Sunday’s NBA Finals Recreation 2 in opposition to the Indiana Pacers.
Whereas MVP level guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered with a game-high 38 factors in Recreation 1, Holmgren and Williams weren’t components, combining to shoot an unsightly 28.6 % (8-of-28), scoring 23 factors.
The Thunder blew a 15-point fourth-quarter lead and misplaced on a last-second Tyrese Halliburton jumper, 111-110.
Daigneault was unconcerned with the duo’s disappointing NBA Finals debuts, though his feedback current an issue Oklahoma Metropolis may not be capable of clear up.
“Normally delivering within the Finals just isn’t on the curriculum for third-year gamers,” Daigneault mentioned. (h/t ESPN)
The Thunder added Holmgren (No. 2 total) and Williams (No. 12 total) within the 2022 NBA Draft, and each have been key to the franchise going 68-14 this season, one of the best in its historical past.
Nonetheless, as Daigneault alluded, their age and inexperience might be a problem. It should at the least be one thing to watch till both (or each) make a constructive influence within the Finals.
The five-year Thunder coach does not seem to assume it will likely be problematic, pointing to the crew’s run by the Western Convention this postseason as proof.
“Now that they’re right here, they should proceed to do what they’ve performed all over the playoffs,” Daigneault added, emphasizing they have to “go on the market, absolutely compete, study the teachings and apply it ahead.”
“And so they have performed an ideal job of that,” Daigneault continued. “I believe you’ve got seen that over the course of the playoffs. They have not performed their finest sport, however they all the time get themselves able to play the following one.”
Throughout a tightly-contested second-round sequence in opposition to the Denver Nuggets, Williams struggled in Video games 4-6, averaging 11.3 factors per sport on 23.3 % capturing, together with 14.3 % on three-point makes an attempt.
He bounced again in Recreation 7, capturing 10-of-17 (58.8 %) and scoring 24 factors in a 125-93 blowout win.
Within the West Finals versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, Williams responded to a 3-of-9 efficiency in a 143-101 Recreation 3 loss with a playoff career-high 34 factors in a Recreation 4 win.
Holmgren was 3-of-7 with 10 factors in that Recreation 3 laugher and averaged 21.5 factors on 63 % capturing (17-of-27) over the following two video games because the Thunder eradicated the Timberwolves.
Oklahoma Metropolis has wanted its younger stars to play older than their age all through its playoff run, and up up to now, they’ve delivered.
However as a lot because the Thunder’s youth has been as asset, it might be a legal responsibility within the Finals. If Oklahoma Metropolis desires to win its first NBA title, Holmgren and Williams might want to develop up in a rush.
