Chet Holmgren Reveals Injury Concerns Before Game 5 as NBA Makes Major Broadcasting Call Amid Backlash

It’s do-or-die territory now. Game 5 of the NBA Finals is here, and if the series has taught us anything, it’s that neither the Thunder nor the Pacers are backing down. Blow-for-blow, bucket-for-bucket; this one’s been a warzone. And with the Larry O’Brien Trophy just two wins away, Monday night in Oklahoma is shaping up to be more than just another game; it’s the swing. The turning point. The one fans, analysts, and legends all agree tends to decide everything.

But here’s the thing; something’s shifted. You can feel it. Not just in the stakes or the scoreboard. Something deeper. The energy around this Game 5? It’s tense. Unpredictable. A storm’s brewing, and it’s not just because the NBA’s throwing it back to 2013 by bringing back broadcasted lineup intros. There’s another layer of drama bubbling under the surface. And it’s coming from one of OKC’s most crucial young guns.

There it is; Clemente Almanza just dropped the nugget on X: Chet Holmgren tweaked his ankle in Game 4, and while he fought through it, it didn’t exactly feel great. “It did not feel good, I’ll tell you that… Once I stood up, I was good. I’m not leaving that game,” Holmgren admitted. But with barely any recovery time and the Finals hanging in the balance, you’ve got to wonder; how close to 100% is the rookie phenom really? This isn’t just about grit now. It’s about durability, pain management, and whether Chet can still be the rim-protecting anchor and stretch-five floor spacer the Thunder desperately need with the series locked at 2-2.