"Just pissed we lost & couldn’t sleep" - Chet Holmgren comically clarifies accidentally posting IG graphic mocking Thunder
The OKC Thunder and Chet Holmgren lost a pivotal Game 5 to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, putting the team in a must-win situation. With the series tied up 2-2, Holmgren and the Thunder competing in the franchise's biggest playoff game in nearly a decade. Despite having home court advantage heading into the game, the Thunder came up short and are now on the brink of defeat.
After the game, big man Chet Holmgren took to social media, reposting a TikTok showing Morty Smith from the hit show Rick And Morty laying in bed. Over the image, a photo showed the preview for Saturday's upcoming Game 6, where the Thunder will look to stave off elimination.
What Chet Holmgren didn't realize, though, was that the caption of the TikTok indicated that the team was quote-unquote cooked. The repost caught the attention of fans, with screenshots of the repost making their way back on X.
The following morning, Holmgren took to social media to clarify, indicating that he didn't see the caption of the post. Instead, he explained that he was frustrated by the Game 5 loss, and related to Morty looking up at the ceiling.
Check out the post and Holmgren's response below:
Looking at Chet Holmgren's play in the pivotal Game 5
While Chet Holmgren has continued to impress during the postseason, he struggled in Game 5. The frontcourt standout scored just 13 points and went just 5-11 from the floor, including 1-5 from 3, with the Thunder shooting just 10-40 collectively from downtown.
In fact, Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams and Isaiah Joe, who was inserted into the starting lineup for Game 5, shot just 5-24 from downtown. The woes didn't stop there for Holmgren, though, with the big man struggling on the glass as well.
At the end of regulation, Holmgren finished with just four rebounds compared to his postseason average of 7.7. In comparison, his regular season average was 7.9 rpg, further highlighting his Game 5 struggles.
Overall, the OKC Thunder were outrebounded by 13 boards, and as the old saying goes, the team who loses the rebounding battle often struggles to get the job done. After the team's disappointing performance, they will look to rally in Game 6 on Saturday.
The game will take place in Dallas, with the Mavericks looking to close out at home while punching their ticket to the Conference Finals. If the Thunder hope to force a Game 7, they will not only need Holmgren to find his rhythm, but also the rest of the team to execute from beyond the arc.
With the stakes at an all-time high, it will be interesting to see how things play out on Saturday.