Home-court advantage couldn’t save the OKC Thunder as they crashed out in Game 7 against the San Antonio Spurs. One of the biggest talking points from the loss to Victor Wembanyama and Co. was Chet Holmgren, who was criticized for both his struggles against the WCF MVP and his inability to step up as the team’s second option. The performance even brought back memories of the 2016 Finals’ Game 7 for Max Kellerman.

“What Wemby did to Chet in a way is what LeBron did to Steph. … when he’d scream on him in game six, right? Where he squared, he blocked the shot. He’s blocked his shot and screamed at him, and Steph kind of had his head hung, right?” he said on the Game Over podcast.

Curry was heavily criticized after the 2016 Finals. It was a unanimous MVP season for the Chef, who averaged nearly 31 points per game in the regular season and 27 in the playoffs. In the Finals, however, that number dropped to just 22.6. For the Warriors, it proved costly. With Curry unable to maintain his usual offensive production, the Cavaliers’ comeback from a 3-1 deficit became a much more manageable task than it would have been had he been on fire.

The feeling, for Kellerman, was the same in Wembanyama vs. Holmgren. The OKC big man averaged just 10.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in the series, down sharply from his regular-season marks of 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks. 

In Game 1, he took seven shots all night and made two field goals in a double-overtime game. The broadcast even caught him sulking and seething on the bench. In Game 7, he didn’t attempt another shot after Victor Wembanyama dunked over his outstretched arm less than three minutes in. 

Holmgren’s struggles in the elimination game overshadowed what had otherwise been a stellar season. He was one of the biggest reasons the Thunder finished with the league’s best record (64-18) and remained among the title favorites all year, providing elite defense, floor spacing, and serving as a dependable second option next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

And just when questions surrounding him started to rise following the defeat to the Spurs, SGA made the team’s stance on the 2022 No. 2 draft pick clear.

“We need Chet. We just, we need Chet Holmgren,” he said. “Before Chet was here, we weren’t who we are today. We didn’t have the success we’ve had today. When he’s the best version of himself, we’re the best version of ourselves, and it’s no secret.”

Well, Curry bounced back from the 2016 heartbreak in the Finals to win two back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018. Holmgren would love a redemption story of his own with Wembanyama on the opposite side in the years to come.

For now, though, it’s Wembanyama’s moment. Averaging 27.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, he was named Western Conference Finals MVP and led the Spurs to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2014.

What’s Next for Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs?

The Spurs and their opponents in the Finals, the New York Knicks, both had to fight hard to set a date with each other. But if we’re talking about the fresher side of the two, it’s the Knicks.

Atlanta’s challenge was put to bed in six games in the first round and that was the biggest of their worries. They easily put away the Philadelphia 76ers and made short work of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Two emphatic 4-0 wins, where their opponents looked totally broken for the most of the time. The Spurs better be careful.

They’re certainly ready. And Wembanyama, after the grueling seven-game battle against the Thunder, openly declared on the court, “We want four more, we’re not done.”

The Knicks won’t be approaching the game very casually, despite the wave of confidence that has swept through the Big Apple following their dominance in the playoffs so far. Mike Brown spent time in San Antonio as an assistant coach and knows how tough it is to compete against the culture there.

“They’re a team that comes out really aggressive and hits first. Their crowd is into it, and we just have to go and make sure that we try to match or exceed their physicality to start the ball game while leaning on our standards,” Brown said, hinting that winning on the road will be a tough challenge.

At the same time, there are areas where the Knicks can exploit the Spurs’ weaknesses. Magic Johnson, for one, pointed out that the Spurs have trouble defending the three-point line. “Victor Wembanyama dominated the paint on defense during the Series against OKC while playing in a zone, but that won’t work against the Knicks given the 3-point shooting ability of Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby,” he wrote on X.

It’s truly a matchup that’s difficult to call right now. Form favors the New York Knicks, yes. But the Spurs just dethroned the best team in the NBA. Game 1 is on June 3, and there’s so much to watch out for.