Despite not wowing with his offensive production in this year's NBA Finals, Chet Holmgren has still managed to prove himself as a vital component to the success of this OKC Thunder team.
From his elite efforts on the less glamorous side of the ball that have him boasting a team-best defensive rating of 101.6 to his stellar work on the glass that now has him ranked number one in franchise history for total rebounds in a single postseason (191), the sophomore's impact has been felt in some of the lesser buzzed-about aspects of the game.
Now, heading into Sunday's do-or-die Game 7, Holmgren will certainly be looked toward to help continue to dominant in these particular areas of play, but, with the championship and, in some ways, the club's dynastic vision possibly on the line, he must finally find a way to snap out of his cold scoring stretch and put some much-needed points on the board.
Thunder need Chet Holmgren to have a monster offensive showing
While he may be a career 16.1 point per-game scorer on 51.9 percent shooting from the floor and 37.2 percent shooting from deep, the Thunder's 7-foot-2 big man has looked far from his unicorn self during this year's championship round.
Frankly, saying his efficiency and productivity in the scoring department have fallen off a cliff against Indiana would be an understatement.
Though he may have had a few outbursts thus far into the 2025 NBA Finals, such as his 20-point performance back in Game 3, he has three other outings where he's dropped fewer than 10 points, with his most recent seeing as little as 4 on 2-of-9 shooting during Oklahoma City's 108-91 blowout loss.
As a whole in this series against the Pacers, Holmgren finds himself averaging just 11.3 points on a putrid 35.3 percent shooting from the floor, and while making just two of his 17 attempts from long range along the way.
It goes without saying that the 23-year-old has been the epitome of hot and cold through six games played. In Game 7, he's going to need to find a way to turn the temperature to scorched-earth levels if the Thunder wish to have their best chance of coming away from 2024-25 as NBA Champions.
With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams having officially proven themselves capable of playing up to the expectations that come with a number one and two option on a title-hopeful team, OKC has kept itself right in the mix to take home this year's Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Now, during Sunday night's finale, they'll need Chet Holmgren to step up and solidify himself as this club's third star and, in turn, thrust them over the hump into ultimate glory.